Jerusalem Unbound

Abstract

Jerusalem represents the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The everchangingevents there have perplexed and compelled analysts, political scientists,academics, and activists to devise countless solutions, especially since1948. Moreover, the last decade has witnessed a substantial change in its demographydue to the Separation Wall and the ongoing Jewish settlement inEast Jerusalem, both of which violate international law and agreements. Thephysical barrier is itself a grim reminder of Israel’s harsh unilateral and discriminatorymeasures that seriously impact for the bilateral peace process.Michael Dumper (professor of Middle East politics, University of Exeter)has written extensively on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In this book, he exploresand illustrates how, despite the wall (hard border), people on the bothsides have managed to create and retain various trans-wall spheres of influence(soft borders) by taking advantage of its porous nature to breach it by variousways. This reality, which renders Jerusalem a “many-bordered” or unboundcity, is primarily attributable to its rich, complex, and intersecting religiousand political interests that are sought and contested by many actors (p. 5).The city’s physical boundaries, discussed in chapter 1, shifted continuouslyfrom 1947 to 2003; the Separation Wall actually runs right through it. Accordingto Dumper, three major events have had long-term ramifications on thisconflict: the 1947 UN Partition Plan; the 1949 partition of East and West Jerusalembetween Jordan and Israel, respectively; and the ongoing illegal Israeli ...