Think, Pair, Share and One 1000 Word Case Study Research and Opinion Essay (25%): Each team will research, discuss and debate a solution to the Case Study.
Introduction
The state of Jerusalem has had many problems and conflicts over who owns the state from both the Israelis and the Arab states. The area is considered to be a holy ground for the Israelis as well as the Muslims where there is the Al Aqsa mosque. The conflicts have existed since the ancient times and continue to be a problem in the modern world. There have been major wars that have occurred that led to signing of treaties in order to stop the war for year but still persists. It is very important to find a lasting solution because many innocent children, men and women are paying the prize for the war between the Arab states in Jerusalem and the Israelis.
According to the biblical view, the state of Jerusalem was made the capital of Israel by King David (Zank). King Solomon was the first person to build a temple in Jerusalem as stated in the bible. However, there has been no evidence according to the archaeologist that the temple even existed. The city was claimed to be a holy city by the Israelites especially by the Christians. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ is also stated in the bible that it occurred in the city of Jerusalem. This has made the Christians think that they own the city of Jerusalem (Zank). In looking at the history of Jerusalem, it is very clear that in the beginning the Jewish community was the one who were dominating Jerusalem.
According to Islam, they believe that Jerusalem is among the holiest places for them together with Mecca and medina (Pipes). The reason for thinking this is that in the Quran it states that Jerusalem was the first place where they used to go for prayers. Prophet Muhammad is claimed to have left his former hometown of Mecca and headed towards medina. In medina at that, time had many Jewish populations. In the pre-Islamic practices, it shows how the Muslims began their prayers by coping how the Jewish people did their prayers. However, this did not go well with the Jewish people because they felt that the new religion was stealing their thunder. This caused the Muslims to change the direction they looked at the temple in Jerusalem and began praying towards Mecca (Pipes). This is all stated in the Quran.
In the 17th century, Muhammad Ali that was hailed Egypt annexed the city of Jerusalem (Beshara). This was among the first threshold for the Muslims claim over being in Jerusalem. Ibrahim Pasha allowed those Israelites who were in the region to have four synagogues, which would not be destroyed. Many more Muslims from Egypt arrived in the city and conquered it. However, in 1840, Ottoman was able to take back Jerusalem and most of the Muslims from Egypt remained in the city after those incidents. The major Arab state in Jerusalem conflict occurred in 1948 during the Israeli-Arab war. Problems occurred in 1947 when there was a fight that broke out between the Palestinians and the Israelites troops. These hostilities brought about the Pan-Arab invasion. The aftermath of the war brought about the division of the land into the East of Jerusalem and the West. The West side belonged to the Israelis while the East was for the Jordanians. The treaty that was signed for this effect was the 1949 Armistice Agreements.
Another war occurred called the Six-Day war in, which in the end of the war the Israelites soldiers were able to capture the East of Jerusalem. When the East was captured the Israeli established the rules used in Israel. The war also brought about the increase of Muslims compared to the Jews and Christians. In 1968, the minister of finance decided to make the expropriation order into effect. This caused many Arabs living in Jerusalem to be displaced by being evicted while the Jewish Quarter was increased in the region. In 2010, it is stated that the Jewish population in East Jerusalem had decreased by 64% from seventy-four percent that was in 1967 (Bregerm and Ora, p145). There was a legislature that was signed by the Israel government in 2010 that made it clear that Jerusalem was a national priority. This legislature made it possible for people to be able to build constructions for housing employment and for tourism businesses. According to them mister of communication called Moshe Kahlon, made it clear with the annexation of the bill made it possible for the people to know that Jerusalem will not be separated. Palestinians also believe that the City of Jerusalem is the capital state of its country.
The Islamic people believe that the Western Wall, which is stated to be over two thousand years, was meant to be a part of a mosque (Pipes). This is among the main reasons why they believe that the Israelites should not have any claim over the land. There was a poll that was conducted in both Palestine and Israel about where Jerusalem lies and the results shows that both sides believe that the city belongs to their side while others believes that it was divided. In 2014, there have been many problems between the Israelis and the Arab state in Jerusalem. In the past week, nearly four people have been killed in a synagogue in Jerusalem. Among the dead were three rabbis and one policeman. The fight still persist and looking at the results especially in 2014 many innocent children, women and men have been killed especially in Gaza (Bell). The reason for stating this is that people believe that Gaza was merely used to hide the facts about the Jerusalem problems.
Shows your research results and your subteam’s position for the negotiating party you represented
The position for the negotiating party is for the Arab states in Jerusalem. The reason for doing this is because in looking at history the Arab states have as much rights as the Israelis if not more to be the ones in control of Jerusalem. In researches that have been conducted, it shows how Jerusalem was made into a holy ground behind Mecca and Medina because Prophet Muhammad used to go to for his prayers in this region. This brought about some of the identity for Islam. The other major reason for negotiating for the Arab States in Jerusalem is because of the expansion ambition by the Israelites. In looking at the history of Jerusalem it shows that there was a division of the Jerusalem in which the east and west Jerusalem was formed. This division was as a result of the 1948 Arab-Israel War (Bregerm and Ora, p145).
In the East of Jerusalem and the west bank, that was where the Arab States had claim over it and therefore displaced about 1500 Israelis. On the hand in the West of Jerusalem, over twenty thousand Islamic people were displaced. The east of Jerusalem was under the laws of Jordan and was made a capital. This was the same for Israel whose capital was Jerusalem. On the six-day war, the Israelites captured the East of Jerusalem under its control. This was after a war that took place between the troops of Jordan and Israel at the Temple Mount in1967 (Breger and Ora, p.145). According to researches in 1968, the Israel took possessions of many of the Arab’s things living in the East of Jerusalem for about 700 buildings.
There was an extension of the West of Jerusalem to Mughrabi Harat Abu Sa’ud in which the areas was only meant for the Jews (Bell). This unfairness has been continuing up to date and there seems to be no end for the injustices for the Arab states in Jerusalem. This is because in 2010, there was an order that was made by the Israelites in order to state that the region was a major priority for them. This made it possible for the government to save some of the tax money for people to build building wherever they want in Jerusalem. This makes it look like Jerusalem only belongs to Israelites. This jurisdiction will cause the Arabs living in Jerusalem to be displaced again in their land.
Describes in detail the Peace Plan you and the Team developed as a resolution: boundaries, governance of Jerusalem, realistic implementation strategies. Include maps if needed
There has been recent violence that has been occurring in the city of Jerusalem especially because of the holiest ground for both the Jews and Muslim. Haram Al Sharif or also known as the Temple Mount is a very important place in which the Jews of late have been demanding that they want to use the platform to pray. This problem in Jerusalem has to be solved through negotiations and treaty signed. It is a fact that there are many treaties that have been signed but it is better to have fresh negotiations.
Peace plan
Resolution
Some of the major problems that seem to be in Jerusalem are due to the prayers ground for the Jews and the Muslims. The Muslims consider it to be a very important and among the holiest places behind Mecca and Medina. This is the same for Israelis, therefore, one of the major solutions to stop the conflicts is for both the Muslims and Israelis to share the holy ground without any conflicts. There should be rules that ensure that there are no problems that will occur. One of the main rules for the holy place is that when the Muslims are conducting their prayers the Israelis should not interfere in any way or form. This should be the same as for the Muslims when it comes to the Israelites Christians or Jewish prayers. This means that there should be third party that will act as a neutral party in order to help the Arab States in Jerusalem from further expansion by Israelites. This third party should either in the form of a special regime or some sort of arrangement (Bell).
Boundaries
The boundaries of the city are also another major cause of conflict in, which the Palestinians have good reasons to state claim to Jerusalem as well as the Israelis do. Boundaries should be made especially by following the 1948 treaty that was signed. This means the East and West Jerusalem should be implemented with authority. The division of the city should be made into the maps in that it shows that the East is part of the Palestinian country while the West is part of Israel. When the division is made permanent then this will stop both states from claiming the other part for it will be a part of the other country.
Governance of Jerusalem
When the city of Jerusalem is divided then it will become easy for it to have two separate governance. The separate governance will be very good for the nation because it will help the two to understand that the other part of Jerusalem is not a part of their country. The government from both sides should have their police officer blocking the entry of any person from the other side from entering their part especially in the Arab state in order to prevent any misunderstanding and further expansion by the Israelites. The only time that people should be allowed to enter either sides will be because of prayers especially in the holy places. The reason for doing all these actions is to help in stopping the expansion of the Arab states in Jerusalem by the Israelites.
Work cited
Bell, John. Jerusalem: The ignored conflict. Al Jazeera, 19 Nov 2014. Print
Beshara, Doumani. Rediscovering Palestine: Egyptian rule, 1831–1840. University of California Press, 1995. Print
Breger, Marshall J. and Ora. Ahimeir. Jerusalem: A City and Its Future. Syracuse University Press (2012): 145. Print
Pipes, Daniel. The Muslim Claim to Jerusalem. Middle East Quarterly, 2001. Print
Zank, Michael. Capital of Judah (930–586). Boston: Boston University Press, 2007. Print
