Jerusalem and the Peace Process

Abstract

It is generally thought that Jerusalem is the most difficult problem that the peace-makers have to deal with. The centrality of the issue of Jerusalem derives neither from security considerations nor from economic interests, but from emotional and religious sensitivities. The complexity of the issue is the result of three factors: the city is holy for adherents of Christianity, Islam and Judaism, namely, it is sacred for many millions of people, most of whom do not live in the city; it is the subject of conflicting national claims of two peoples — Israelis and Palestinian Arabs; and its population is very heterogeneous. A solution to the conflicts about Jerusalem is asine qua nonfor the achievement of a viable and durable peace in the area.