For many years I believed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was fixable, that a final resolution could — and ultimately would — be found in the creation of two independent, sovereign states.
Sheikh Jarrah, the ostensible cause of the latest conflict in the Middle East, is not so complicated. It is a private rent dispute, caused by squatters and by Palestinian tenants who acquired protected tenancies (not ownership) during the period of
President Biden declared Palestinians and Israelis equally deserve security, peace, and prosperity. Only then will peace and security prevail in the region.
East Jerusalem is an occupied territory that Israel annexed in violation of international law. The Israeli government and Jewish settlers have systematically attempted to “Judaize” the Old City. One way they do this is through the eviction of as many Palestinian families as possible and then replacing them with Jewish residents.
Israel may revoke the residency status of any Jerusalemite Palestinian who leaves historic Palestine, say for study or medical treatment, or acquires foreign citizenship and thus prevent his return, even though a Jew from anywhere in the world always has the right to move to Israel and live in Jerusalem. Moreover, Palestinians are not allowed to build new homes in Jerusalem, or build additions to existing homes, without the permission of Israel, which it routinely denies. If a Palestinian builds a new home or adds to his home without Israeli permission, Israeli authorities will demolish the expansion or even the home in its entirety. Israeli law permits