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Since Israel was established in 1948, Jerusalem’s diplomatic and international status has been controversial and unresolved. Neither violence nor proposed solutions – of which there were many throughout Jerusalem’s long history – have brought peace to the divided city.

The decision to build the separation barrier took place within the harsh reality of the Second Intifada. But from its inception the barrier’s role around Jerusalem extended beyond its security purposes. The barrier’s path should be examined in light of its extreme social and political ramifications. 

Erecting settlements and designating areas as national parks in Palestinian neighborhoods in East Jerusalem has devastating consequences: significantly decreasing the feasibility of a future political resolution and inhibiting peaceful and equal coexistence in our mixed city.  

Urban planning is shaped by culture, worldviews, and political goals. Incumbents and states often plan the space they control, not merely for the benefit of their citizens, but also as an expression of their own political objectives. Jerusalem, with its unique symbolic status, is a prime example.