Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

The political status of Jerusalem in the Hashemite kingdom of Jordan, 1948–1967

1976; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 12; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/00263207608700306

1743-7881

Naim Sofer,

Jewish and Middle Eastern Studies

The religious significance of Jerusalem, in the consciousness of Moslems in general and of the Palestinians in particular, had a great deal of bearing on the status of the city within the Kingdom of Jordan. This importance of Jerusalem, as the first Qibla and third in rank according to the holiness of its mosques (after Mecca and Medina) has had its ups and downs ever since the days of Mohammed. In the days of the Crusaders a new dimension of importance was added to the city and a pan-Moslem effort was made, which eventually brought about the liberation of Jerusalem from the hands of the crusaders. Whereas in the past the importance of Jerusalem was mainly religious, in modern times the city has taken on a nationalistic significance, brought about by the strife between the Arab and the Jewish communities during the days of the Mandate. Since the leadership of both sides was concentrated in Jerusalem, the focus of the struggle lay in the capital, and it centred mainly on the possession of the city and its holy places. Accordingly, many of the clashes flared up in Jerusalem and from there spread throughout the whole country as, for example, the Wailing Wall incident of 1929. This religious and national importance of the city is a part of the Palestinian consciousness, which is renewed - every year afresh - by festivals such as Leilat el Asra' wa'l-Mi'raj which commemorates the night of the journey of Mohammed from Mecca to Jerusalem and his ascension to heaven. The Arab leaders fanned this religious and national consciousness during the days of the Mandate and stirred up the fury of the masses by accusing the Jews of plans to capture the Dome of the Rock. This incitement received added strength when the religious and political leadership passed into the hands of the Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin al Husayni. The agitation bore fruit in the form of attacks, leading to bloodshed, on the Jewish population. In the days of the Mandate Jerusalem was of importance in many spheres. It was the headquarters of the Mandatory government. It also served as the political headquarters of the Arabs through the Higher Arab Committee. Jerusalem was also their religious headquarters; it was the seat of the Mufti of Jerusalem, as well as that of the Supreme Moslem Religious Council. It served, as well, as the social centre of Arab Palestine for in this city the most honoured and important families were concentrated. And, finally, Jerusalem was the cultural centre of the whole country; it contained the best teachers' academies as well as law schools and high