The following overview of Jerusalem was provided by J2050 on the Just Jerusalem website and in the Competition booklet. More maps and statistics about Jerusalem were provided on the website. These can now be found under the “Jerusalem” tab on the menu. We are constantly adding to this database of information on the city. Please feel free to email us with resources to post.
Jerusalem Today: The Multiple Geographies of the City
The Political Geography of the City
Though all history and narratives can and are contested, it is necessary to impart some context for the political geography of Jerusalem. While we have provided a short historical narrative here, it is no replacement to deep historical or scholarly inquiry. We hope that all entrants will consult the bibliography and additional materials provided on the competition website, as well as undertake their own research to form their own views of the city.
1. Jerusalem at the Turn of the 20th Century
West Jerusalem has 531 sports facilities, East Jerusalem has 33.
Taxes – All residents of Jerusalem are subject to the Arnona Tax. Israeli authorities collect an ‘Arnona tax’ on both residential and business spaces based on building, office and apartment size. The Arnona tax in Jerusalem is regressive and does not take into consideration differences in income level, family size or other factors. The regressive nature of the Arnona Tax negatively affects both Palestinian Jerusalemites and the Orthodox Jewish community in Jerusalem both of whom have larger families and smaller incomes.
Business/Commercial properties are taxed based on the size of the property as opposed to the income of the business. According to the Jerusalem Center for Social and Economic Rights, “studies show that the average monthly incomes of private businesses in West Jerusalem are much higher than in East.”8 The fact that West Jerusalem has many big corporations, many more tourists and more profitable businesses means that the Arnona Tax is less burdensome for West Jerusalem.
As a result of the Arnona tax, many Palestinian and Orthodox Jewish residents have been unable to pay their taxes. Yet while the Palestinian residents are subjected to various punitive measures, (ranging from fines, seizure of property, and denial of official documents such as travel permits, birth certificates and identification papers), the Orthodox community does not face such punishments.9 The JCSER reports that because of the Arnona tax, an estimated 70-80% of the Palestinian residents in Jerusalem are unable to pay their taxes and therefore are in debt to the Municipality. The Arnona tax makes it difficult for Palestinian residents to maintain businesses and forces some families to leave Jerusalem to find employment elsewhere.
Within the Jewish community the issue of equality under the municipality is problematic as well. According to a Floeersheimer Institute survey, ¼ of Jews in Jerusalem are Haredi (ultra-orthodox), 1/5 are Orthodox, ¼ are traditional and 1/3 are secular.10 Though almost equally divided, the Haredi receive many more municipal benefits than any other group. One of issues constantly debated within Jerusalem is what Shabbat observances the city will mandate. According to Jewish law no work should be done on Shabbat. Therefore stores are not allowed to open and buses and taxis are not allowed to run. There are constant battles within the Jewish community about how much control the city should have over such issues.
Another subject of dispute is land allocation. According to the October 2002 Floesheimer report, between the years if 1993 and 1996, the vast majority of the public land allocation was granted to the Haredi and for religious uses.11 Since the Haredi do not represent a majority of the Jewish population in Jerusalem, the fact that they are being granted an overwhelming proportion of public land is very problematic.
5. Education
Israel’s Ministry of Education is responsible for all education planning and building in Israel. The Jerusalem Education Authority, funded by the Ministry of Education, is responsible for the education system in East and West Jerusalem. Though East and West Jerusalem are administered by the same authority, schools and education in East Jerusalem are inferior to those in West Jerusalem. The differences between schools in East and West Jerusalem range from physical space to educational and emotional support systems.
Palestinian students account for one third of all school age children in Jerusalem, yet there are 35 schools in East Jerusalem and 169 schools in West Jerusalem.12 Between 1997 and 1999 there were 430 classrooms built for ultra-orthodox Jewish students while there were 111 classrooms built for Arab students.13 The lack of schools in East Jerusalem leads to overcrowding in classrooms and misuse of spaces within schools. For example, several schools in East Jerusalem do not have a library because that space is needed for classrooms. Often, the Municipality turns away children who want to register at municipality schools. Parents are forced to enroll their children in costly private schools or keep their children out of school.
In addition to the issue of space in schools, the number of teachers, counselors and the quality of such staff as well as the quality of programs offered are different between East and West Jerusalem. For example, the number of grants given to teachers for studying is 382 percent higher in the Jewish sector than it is in the Palestinian sector.
6. Security
Because of the symbolic importance of Jerusalem and its central role in the conflict, it has been a target of Palestinian terrorist attacks since 1994. One fourth of all terrorist attacks take place in Jerusalem and approximately one quarter of all Jews killed and one third of all Jews wounded by attacks are from attacks within Jerusalem.
Most Jerusalem residents have either lost someone in a terrorist attack or know someone who has. The proximity to grief and terror reverberates throughout Israeli society. Various studies14 show that many Jerusalem residents suffer from a variety of mental health issues, the most common of which is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Children are particularly affected, as studies found that “33 per cent of Israeli youth have been affected personally by terrorism, either by being at the scene of an attack or by knowing someone injured or killed by terrorists. Seventy per cent of those surveyed reported increased subjective fear or hopelessness.” 15
Though nothing justifies the use of terrorism as a tactic, it must be noted that suicide bombing is not the only source of violence against civilians in Jerusalem. Palestinian residents of Jerusalem suffer from violence perpetrated by the Israeli military, Israeli police and Jewish settlers in the city. Such violence has psychological ramifications and affects the Palestinian population at large.
The effects of terrorism reach beyond the loss of life and create a strain on individuals as well as the society as a whole. The separation wall in East Jerusalem is built in the name of security. Most public places in West Jerusalem have security guards at their entrance. Jerusalem residents suffer politically, physically and mentally from the threat of terrorism, an issue that needs to be addressed in any attempt to make Jerusalem a livable city for all its residents.
Conclusion
As this short history and description shows, what constitutes the physical layout of Jerusalem is politically and geographically contested and all definitions of Jerusalem have physical, economic, social, environmental, and political problems. The intention of this document has been to focus attention on the problems in Jerusalem. There are a plethora of other issues and areas which we have not been touched upon, such as health care systems, religious institutions and holy sites. Further discussion and supplementary materials on these and other issues are available to registered participants in the Maps & Data section of this website. Still, it is the responsibility and choice of each entrant to delve into their preferred subject or theme, and produce a submission based on their own research and hopes for the city. Also, we expect submissions to address issues of equality, access to land, urban design, security, and the environment, as well as other pressing concerns. While there may be many ways to reverse the trends in Jerusalem and to alleviate the problems the city’s inhabitants face, it will take creativity, compassion and unique thinking to raise the quality of life for all Jerusalem’s residents.
We look forward to your visions.
