Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

The night of Jerusalem's joyous chaos

By Graham Cooke - posted Monday, 3 September 2012


From the balcony of the house where I am staying in Israel I look out over the Kidron Valley past the white, slit-windowed buildings on its far slopes to the grey wall that slices the city of Jerusalem into two.

The wall, separating predominantly Jewish West Jerusalem from the predominately Moslem eastern sector of the city, has been likened to the one that divided east and west Berlin; its purpose has been described as similar to that of apartheid South Africa. Neither comparison is strictly true. Jerusalem's wall was built to keep people out rather than to fence them in, as the Berlin wall was supposed to do, and unlike the days of white dominated South Africa there are no strict divisions along racial lines. Jews and Arabs mingle freely, if on occasions uncomfortably, on both sides of the dividing barrier. There are no separate toilets, or swimming pools or enclosures at sporting events and so on.

But except for a fortunate few, the wall and the associated checkpoints on roads between Israel and the occupied West Bank have been a barrier to Palestinians who want to travel beyond their little land-locked territory. Passes are required and seldom given; family reunions, sickness and travel beyond Israel are rarely considered sufficient reasons for the rules to be relaxed.

Advertisement

Until, for one night during the recent holy month of Ramadan, the barriers were eased.

The occasion was the festival of Laylat al-Qadr, the holiest night of Ramadan when Muslims believe the first parts of the Koran were revealed to Muhammad in 610. In Jerusalem celebrations centre on the Al Aqsa Mosque in the Old City where readings from the Koran are conducted through the night.

In the past Israeli authorities have placed strict quotas on the number of West Bankers allowed in to Jerusalem to join the festival but this year, in an unprecedented move, all Palestinian women and males under 12 and over 40 were allowed to enter with only minimal supervision.

Israeli authorities estimated that more than one million Palestinians passed through the various roadblocks and checkpoints. The result was total joyous chaos as the narrow alleyways of the Old City were choked to bursting point with pilgrims trying to reach the sacred site. For many others however, it was an opportunity to visit West Jerusalem, the cities of Jaffa and Haifa and other areas where their families once lived before the turmoil surrounding the founding of the State of Israel in 1948. Still others headed for the fashionable shopping centres of Salah ad-Din, Malha and Mamilla where traders, with an eye to profit, stayed open late to accommodate the visitors.

Some even travelled to the overwhelmingly Jewish city of Tel Aviv to swim and paddle in a Mediterranean Sea many had never seen

Chair of the Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs, Mahdi Abdul Hadi, said it was the first time since the 1967 Six Day War that such free access to the Al Aqsa Mosque had been granted.

Advertisement

"This allows Jerusalem, a city which has been slipping from the consciousness of Palestinians, to become once again their city," Dr Abdul Hadi said.

"It says a lot about contemporary Israeli thinking when it comes to security and the future relationship Israelis expect with Palestinians."

The night was not entirely incident free, but the widespread civil disturbances predicted by some conservative Jews did not take place and Dr Abdul Hadi said that if this was really an attempt by the Israelis to "test the water" for a softening of the borders between Israel and the West Bank, then it was a success.

"The fact that Laylat al-Qadr took place in an atmosphere of openness and mutual tolerance may have gone some way to abate the fears of a self-identified 'Jewish State' when it comes to opening the doors to the occupied territories," he said.

"If both communities can share the Holy City for one night without incident, then the discourse of fear which perpetuates Israeli establishment thinking will begin to crumble in the face of this new reality."

Officially, Israelis have described the relaxation as an initiative aimed at improving relations between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas.

An official, speaking on condition of anonymity to Agence France-Presse, described it as one of a series of measures, among them an agreement on trade and tax arrangements and an attempt on behalf of the Palestinian Authority to negotiate a loan from the International Monetary Fund.

"Over the past few weeks we have adopted a whole series of confidence-building measures. We have done these things and we are willing to do more to create a better atmosphere," the official said.

Maybe, but in the days following the end of Ramadan it appeared to be back to business as usual. A round-up of the Israeli and Palestinian media revealed reports on seven Israelis being arrested after an assault on an Arab teenager which left him badly injured; Israeli settlers attacking a Palestinian house in the West Bank near Nablus and trying to set it on fire and a campaign to try and stem Palestinian immigration because of the "bad political, economic and social conditions resulting from the Israeli occupation".

On that day as well the Vice President of the European Commission, Catherine Ashton, issued what has become a routine statement expressing concern about Israeli plans to expand settlement activity on the West Bank and in East Jerusalem.

"Settlements are illegal under international law and threaten to make a two-State solution impossible, Ms Ashton said.

When it comes to the real roadblocks to peace, the Israeli Government still isn't listening.

The Kidron Valley has another name, Emek Yehoshafat, which means The Valley Where God Will Judge. According to some prophecies it will be the site of the last battles between the Gentiles and Israel when God when will come to Israel's aid, defeating its tormentors with "diseases, rain, fire and stones" and rendering harsh judgment against all Gentiles who have wronged Israel since the beginning of time.

One wonders where the inhabitants of East Jerusalem, trapped behind their grey wall and with an otherwise grandstand view of the spectacle, will fit into God's judgment plan.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. All


Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

2 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Graham Cooke has been a journalist for more than four decades, having lived in England, Northern Ireland, New Zealand and Australia, for a lengthy period covering the diplomatic round for The Canberra Times.


He has travelled to and reported on events in more than 20 countries, including an extended stay in the Middle East. Based in Canberra, where he obtains casual employment as a speech writer in the Australian Public Service, he continues to find occasional assignments overseas, supporting the coverage of international news organisations.

Other articles by this Author

All articles by Graham Cooke

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Photo of Graham Cooke
Article Tools
Comment 2 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy