[MERIA JOURNAL]

RESEARCH GUIDE: 

Researching Jerusalem 

By Lawrence Joffe

No one can doubt the world's interest, sometimes obsession, with Jerusalem. Here, then, is MERIA's Guide to Web sites on Jerusalem. We hope it may guide you through the cyberspatial equivalent of its alleyways and byways.

CONTENTS:
A. A TALE OF TWO VIEWPOINTS
B. HISTORICAL VIEWS
C. NUMBERS GAMES - DATES AND DEMOGRAPHY
D. TEMPLE MOUNT 
E. THINK TANKS AND EDUCATIONAL CENTERS
F. JERUSALEM IN MAPS
G. FUTURE PLANS
H. BREAKING NEWS


A. A TALE OF TWO VIEWPOINTS
Perhaps the best place to start is the Jerusalem Municipality's own site, at: <http://www.jerusalem.muni.il/english/>. Here you will find a welcome from Jerusalem's Mayor Ehud Olmert. The site also contains an authoritative if somewhat didactic essay by Dr. Sara Hershkovitz, Director of the Division for Strategic Planning and Research, on "Jerusalem, Capital of Israel." 

Another official version of Jerusalem, the modern city, comes from Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at: <http://www.israel-mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH00wa0>.  In particular, see their documents hyperlink, where you can find one strongly argued essay entitled "The Status of Jerusalem": <http://www.israel-mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH0cnn0>.  The Ministry also offers an internet exhibit called 'Jerusalem--Capital of Israel: <http://www.israel-mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH00j60>.  The MFA's impressive list of documents also includes two excellent essays by Ruth Lapidoth, Professor of International Law at the Hebrew University. The first is "Jerusalem: The Legal and Political Background," from Justice (No. 3, Autumn 1994) <http://www.israel-mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH00iz0>.  Next is "Jerusalem and the Peace Process," from the Israel Law Review, Vol. 28, Nos. 2-3, Spring-Summer 1994 (abridged from the original): <http://www.israel-mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH0cnn0>. 

The peace pages of the Israeli Embassy in London web site has a good summary of Oslo et al, including passing references to Jerusalem: <http://www.israel-embassy.org.uk/london/web/pages/peace.htm>. 

Lifted from the Israeli Prime Minister's Office is another useful item, a policy paper on Jerusalem, relayed on a Christian site, Papa's Cyber Weekly: <http://www.thebook.com/papax7/jerusl15.htm>. 
Papa also carries a more ethereal essay, "Jerusalem--City of Eternity": <http://www.thebook.com/papax7/jerusl16.htm>. 

Which leads us neatly to one inevitable observation: namely, that it is almost impossible to pry apart religion and politics when discussing the city. To understand the existential nature of the Jerusalem conundrum, one could do worse than start with "Jerusalem in Jewish consciousness--[the Festival of] Tisha B"Av," written by Dr. Dov Goldflam, and located at the JAJZ site: <http://www.jajz-ed.org.il/9avrka.htm>. 

Another view of the same issue comes in "Jerusalem--The Focus of Jewish History," an essay by Zvi Gabay, a retired Israeli diplomat: <http://www.dangoor.com/72page05.html>. 

The Canada-Israel Committee has useful summaries of Israeli policies on Jerusalem:
<http://webcom.net/~cic/publications/ForTheRecord/jerusalem.html> The Virtual Jerusalem site has a lot on the city including, on current issues, <http://www.virtualjerusalem.com/channels/news/issues/jerusalem/jerusalem.htm>. 

For a quite different Palestinian view of events, go to the Palestine Authority (PA) Ministry of Information site on Jerusalem, entitled tellingly "Jerusalem, A City Crying Out For Justice":
<http://www.pna.org/mininfo/jerusalem/jerusal.htm>. Topics include: history and the alleged manipulation of history, Palestinian mayors of Jerusalem, Ehud Olmert's administration, political planning in East Jerusalem, U.S. policy on Jerusalem, and "religious and holy sites under
occupation." For the PA's retort to the U.S. Congress bill on Jerusalem, see: <http://www.pna.org/mininfo/jerusalem/jerus14.htm>. 

Another useful miscellany of views of Jerusalem from a Palestinian perspective comes from Online Jerusalem: <http://www.interx-me.com/jerusalem/jerusalem.htm>. 

Lots of nicely organized legal and historical information about Jerusalem is found at "Hanthala": <http://hanthala.virtualave.net/isjerus.html>.  "Jerusalem Appeal Action Alert" voices Palestinian concerns: <http://www.palestine-net.com/misc/japp.txt>.

For a Palestinian site with useful and links, go to "Jerusalemites": <http://jerusalemites.org/index.htm>.

Because of war, many former Jerusalemites live outside their home city. The Badil site for Palestinian refugees gives voice to their perspective, at: <http://www.badil.org/AlQuds/alquds.htm>. 

"Religious Aspects of Jerusalem" in Judaism, Christianity and Islam are well covered by the Palestinian academic body, PASSIA, via the following web page. Here you will find thought-provoking essays by Mahdi Abdul Hadi, Sari Nuseibeh, Yitzhak Reiter and Bernard Sabella:<http://www.passia.org/jerusalem/publications/ReligiousAspectsText.htm>.

Jerusalem is also an issue and symbol for the Arab world, as seen from this site on Abu Dhabi's Jerusalem week, 1995: <http://www.arabworld.com/jerusalem/>.  "Voice" newsletter, from the National Association for American Arabs, has many articles on Jerusalem. Some quote Hanan Ashrawi and Faisal Husseini; others consider the debate over the U.S. embassy's possible move to Jerusalem: <http://www.naaa.net/voice/index.htm>. 

Professor Rashid Khalidi addresses the issue of "Jerusalem And American Muslims" at the American Muslim Council Convention, June 28, 1998, as recorded at: <http://acj.org/amc.htm>.

Western Christians also express interest in Jerusalem. One generally pro-Israeli Christian perspective comes from the Holyland Network: <http://www.holylandnetwork.com/jerusalem/history.htm>. 

In a similar vein is the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem, or Canadian friends thereof:
<http://www.cdn-friends-icej.ca/index.html>. 

Yet there is also a distinct Palestinian Christian perspective. Such views are interspersed within other pro-Palestinian sites (listed below). One comes from the Arab American Roman Catholic Community site, Al-Bushra. Called "Prayer for Peace," penned by Rev Labib Kobti and directed to Bill Clinton and U.S. Christians: <http://www.al-bushra.org/jerus/i_pray.htm>. 

The leading exponents of Palestinian Christian Liberation Theology is Sabeel: <http://www.sabeel.org/>. 

The following site considers the claims of all three faiths equally: <http://www.susqu.edu/history/medtrav/jerusalem/default.htm>. 

And so does Rashid Khalidi, Professor of History at Chicago University, in his essay, "For a shared Jerusalem." Here he "unravels modern myths and ancient passions in a search to locate the united heart of this torn and worshipped place." In his own words, Jerusalem is "a beautiful city revered by Muslims, Christians and Jews, both holy and cursed": <http://www.ahram.org.eg/weekly/1998/1948/397_quds.htm>. 

The Anglo-Jewish historian Martin Gilbert, too, rejects the idea of a divided Jerusalem, but reaches somewhat different conclusions. "A Tale of One City" is his contribution to a series of pieces on Jerusalem, at: <http://web.idirect.com/~cic/jerusalem/martinGilbertArticle.htm>. 

B. HISTORICAL VIEWS
Jerusalem is clearly a living city, full of restaurants, museums and places of worship, as this vibrant site clearly shows: <http://209.238.189.115/jerusalem/english/mainpage.asp>. 
Yet no one can understand the present Jerusalem without considering its past. Sifting the factual web sites from the polemical can prove burdensome at times. That said, there are plenty of good historical sites out there. 

Going way back, "A Chronology of Destruction" considers the fate of the First and Second Temples from an orthodox Jewish perspective: <http://www.ou.org/yerushalayim/threeweeks/default.htm>.

The Ingeborg Rennert Center for Jerusalem Studies is located at Bar-Ilan University and emphasizes the city's history: <http://www.biu.ac.il/js/rennert/>. "Teaching the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict" includes invaluable data and analysis on Jerusalem. Concocted as a Unit for High School Students by Ronald Stockton, Professor of Political Science at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, and revised in November 1993, its final chapter (with Part 3--Possible Solutions) is devoted to the religious significance of Jerusalem. However, there are numerous references to the city in earlier chapters, so it is worth seeing the parent page: <http://www.umich.edu/~iinet/cmenas/StudyUnits/israeli-palestinian_conflict/>. 

From the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP) comes a "Jerusalem Primer" (written in 1994, but still valid) with a useful timeline and lots of statistics: <http://www.fmep.org/feb94.htm>. 

The Palestine Information Centre has a special series of essays on Jerusalem, which cover interesting details of history: <http://www.palestine-info.net/jerusalem/index.htm>.

Part 2 of "Before Their Diaspora," covering the years 1876 to 1917 and dealing extensively with Jerusalem, is written by Walid Khalidi, and appears at: <http://www.ojerusalem.com/from2.htm>. 

In similar vein, Cyber Palestine has a list of (and links to information about) the "destroyed villages" from the old District of Jerusalem: <http://www.cyberpalestine.org/1948/jerusalem.htm>. 

The Jerusalem Quarterly File, issue 3, 1999, publishes an essay by Salim Tamari, "Jerusalem 1948: The Phantom City." It fronts a multi-authored book published by the Institute of Palestinian Studies, called "Jerusalem 1948: The Arab Neighborhoods and their Fate in the War": <http://www.jerusalemquarterly.org>. 

The official site for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) covers the War of Independence - and inter alia the battle for Jerusalem in 1948: <http://www.idf.il/english/history/independance.stm>. Their account of the battle for Jerusalem in 1967 appears at: <http://www.idf.il/english/history/sixday4.stm>. 

Yitzhak Rabin's reminiscences of the same events are found at: <http://www.rabincenter.org.il/english/bio_4.html> 

A German site features references to the work of the late Kamil Asali (d 1995), a Palestinian Jerusalemite author who wrote many volumes on the city: <http://home.t-online.de/home/Jerusalem/asali.htm>. 

Hadia Dajani-Shakeel's fascinating article, "Some Medieval Accounts of Salah al-Din's Recovery of Jerusalem (Al-Quds)," originally appeared in an Institute for Palestine Studies, Beirut, publication in 1988. Now you can read it online at: <http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/med/salahdin.html>. 

A British student, Shahbaz Husain, features on his site a long historical account of Jerusalem's historical importance to Muslims. <http://members.tripod.com/~shahbaz786/id5.htm>.

Jerusalem's Islamic history is given a slightly different nuance at "Israeli Culture":
<http://israeliculture.miningco.com/culture/israeliculture/library/jerusale/bljermul.htm>. 

The prolific Jerusalem Media and Communications Center (JMCC) has several "Special Reports From Palestine," many about historical Jerusalem: <http://www.jmcc.org/research/special/jerus.html>. 

"Jerusalem Mosaic," courtesy of Hebrew University of Jerusalem, presents a very clear and concise history of Jerusalem, from the earliest days of the Davidic Kingdom, through the Muslim conquest, rule by Mamelukes and Ottomans, and on to the present. It includes features like tasting the foods of the various peoples and faiths who have lived in the Holy City: <http://jeru.huji.ac.il/>.

There is a pocket-sized version of Jerusalem history at: <http://www.inisrael.com/tour/jer/histo.htm>.
A more pointedly nationalistic account comes from the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies, called "Jerusalem - City of Eternity": <http://www.join.org.au/nswjbod/jerusalem.htm>. 

A particularly clear history of Jerusalem comes from the Jewish Agency's "Department for Jewish Zionist Education": <http://www.jajz-ed.org.il/100/places/jer.html>. 

Then there is lots of history at the Jewish Student Online Resource Center. Topics include an Introduction to Jerusalem, the Absentees" Property (Compensation) Law of 1973, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, archaeology, biblical Jerusalem, the views of Ben-Gurion and Moshe
Dayan, the Jordanian legacy, Jerusalem under earlier Muslim rulers, and the Vatican's relations with this rival center of holiness. The site even addresses the "Jerusalem Syndrome," messianic psychological delusions suffered by people who do not have the excuse that they are politicians. Find these and more at: <http://us-israel.org/jsource/Peace/jerutoc.htm>.  JSOURCE also includes items of more recent history, like the Knesset Basic Law of July 30, 1980:
<http://us-israel.org/jsource/Peace/Basic_Law_Jerusalem.htm>. 

The "Canada Israel Committee" (CIC) surveys an equally broad sweep of history (from the Bible and early Christian times, to the present) at this web site: <http://webcom.net/~cic/jerusalem/indexJerusalem.html>. The CIC site includes a very useful "Issue Brief # 2 - Jerusalem," from February 1997, which is also located at: <http://web.idirect.com/~cic/issues/jerusalem.html>. 

Another nice historical background article on Jerusalem comes with good links to newsworthy items from Frommer's Elibrary: <http://encyclopedia.com/articles/06626.htm>. 

A Bluffton College site has several links on Jerusalem in faith, politics and history: <http://www.bluffton.edu/~johnsl/JJ99/ResoText.htm>.  

"Jerusalem - Eternal City of Conflict" presents a workable historical overview with good quotes from all sides: <http://www.andover.edu/history/h48/projects/ruch/home.html>  

The web site for the Israel Museum in Jerusalem has articles on exhibitions, including: historical prints and photographs of the city from 1860 to 1905; "Towards the Center" - Jerusalem Temple and Israel;center proclamations ("kruzim") from the walls of Jerusalem; Second Temple pottery; and "A Walk Through Jerusalem" - an interactive children's exhibition: <http://www.shamash.org/nfjc/jewishmuseums/jetssub.htm>. 

The British Consulate in Jerusalem offers a pithy little history of the city, plus a summary of the UK's political stance on the issue, and a clutch of UN resolutions: <http://www.britishconsulate.org/chancery/jru.htm>.

"The importance of Jerusalem to Muslims" appears at the following academic site: 
<http://www.susqu.edu/history/medtrav/jerusalem/islam.htm>. 

One report from Teddy Kollek's "Jerusalem Foundation" mentions the re-opening of the Foundation-sponsored Tourjeman Post Museum, which uses interactive technology to showcase inter-ethnic cooperation in Jerusalem and elsewhere: <http://www.jerusalemfoundation.org.il/winter00d.htm>. 

The Journal of Palestine Studies contains many articles on Jerusalem and its history. To quote one instance, JPS Vol. XXVII, No. 2, Winter 1998, Issue 106, includes a useful essay written in the form of a review of books on Jerusalem. <http://ipsjps.org/dumper.htm>.

Personal histories have a poignancy that often tells more than official statements or lists of facts and figures. One such example is Ray Hanania's memories of growing up a Christian Palestinian in Jerusalem: <http://www.salam-shalom.net/ray.html>.  From the same site, Walter Ruby, the American Jewish co-founder of "Salam-Shalom, Jewish-Palestinian Encounter," writes a whimsical piece called "Oy, Jerusalem." It is not exactly historical but acts as a welcome antidote to the gallons of bile usually spilt over the contested city: <http://www.salam-shalom.net/walter_ruby.html>.

Finally, poetry often conveys as much in a few verses as volumes of political analysis. One little gem is Yehuda Amichai's "Jerusalem":<http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/1364/ami2.html>. 

C. NUMBERS GAMES - DATES AND DEMOGRAPHY
In 1996 Israel launched its Jerusalem 3000 celebrations which is presented by the Agency for Jewish Education's "Jerusalem 3000 Educator's Resource": <http://shamash.org/ejin/brijnet/ed/orgs/aje/j3000/clicka.html>. Another article from the Anti-Defamation League quotes then U.S. Secretary of State Christopher defending the celebrations:
<http://www.adl.org/presrele/islme_62/2530_62.html>. 

Some Palestinians have retorted with Jerusalem 5000. An article published in the Jordanian daily Al-Ra"i, on October 13, 1999, and written by Lima Nabil, purports to prove that "Arab (sic) Jebusites" were the first to have settled in Jerusalem, questioning whether an "alleged Kingdom of Israel" ever existed: <http://www.palestine-info.net/jerusalem/jer_5000y.htm>. 

In July 1997, the Jerusalem Symposium held a celebration of "5,000 Years," where Ra"ef Najm presented an archaeological "Nullification of Likud illusions about Jerusalem": <http://www.palestine-info.net/jerusalem/najemeng.htm>. 

Yet there are reams of web sites that say, to quote just one, "Archaeology confirms history as recorded in the Bible": <http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Aegean/8830/history.html> 

Of course, Jerusalem has come into its own in Christian circles with still another millennium, too. "Jerusalem 2000" is a site that includes details on pilgrimages, Israel and Jerusalem:
<http://www.jerusalem2000.org/>. 

The Christian Information Center in Jerusalem promotes "Jubilee 2000," with a full calendar, articles in French, Italian and English, prayers, music, news of conferences and the Pope's visit:
<http://www.christusrex.org/www1/ofm/jub/JUBmain.htm>.

Even Disney, by hosting exhibits by different countries, became a battlefield for Jerusalem's historical identity. The U.S. Anti-Defamation League attacks Disney's alleged "cave-in" to Arab
demands at: <http://www.adl.org/PresRele/IslME_62/3469_62.htm>.

Demography presents statistically minded polemicists with a field day, too. Full census details are available at the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics: <http://www.cbs.gov.il/engindex.htm>.

Courtesy of former Mayor Teddy Kollek's "Jerusalem Foundation" site comes the following clutch of facts and figures about the city: <http://www.jerusalemfoundation.org.il/fact.htm>. 

The Alternative Information Center (AIC), a group supporting the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, has an umbrella site on Jerusalem: <http://aic.netgate.net/Jerusalem/jerusalem/Index.htm>. 

The Institute of Jerusalem Studies (IJS), an affiliate of the Institute for Palestine Studies, produces an online journal, "The Jerusalem Quarterly File" (JQF). It covers zoning and land appropriation, expansion of settlements, regulations affecting the residency status of Arabs in Jerusalem, and demographic trends: <http://www.jqf-jerusalem.org/> 

One particularly interesting essay from JMCC is called "Jerusalem: Population and Growth 1850-1996." It appeared originally in Arabic, now in English, in JMCC, pp.123, November 1997, and can be found at: <http://www.jmcc.org/research/special/jerus.html>. There is an item on identity cards for East Jerusalem Arabs: <http://www.jmcc.org/new/1999/ids.htm>.

In 1996, East Jerusalem Arabs voted in the 1996 Palestinian Legislative Council elections. Once again, the Canada Israel Committee has excellent information in a Special Supplement - "Palestinian Elections in Jerusalem for Arabs": <http://webcom.net/~cic/issues/palestinianElections.html>. 

The Jewish Student Online Resource Center, JSOURCE, explains how and why the city's population is two-thirds Jewish, at: <http://us-israel.org/jsource/Society_&_Culture/jerpop.html>. 

The "Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs" has an interestng essay on relations between the modern religious, ultra-Orthodix, and secular Jewish communities in Jerusalem: <http://www.jcpa.org/jcprg2.htm>. 

The issue of building Israeli Jewish housing on the disputed Har Homa area is discussed by a site calling for a local, compromise solution: <http://www.harhoma.com/>. 

For complaints that the Barak government plans to freeze Jewish building in Jerusalem, see this January 2000 article from "Our Jerusalem": <http://www.ourjerusalem.com/news/b0100/0104newsb.htm>.

Population analysis, as well as EU plans for Jerusalem and the issue of Har Homa, appears at this report of Spring 1999, entitled "Israel's Uncertain Victory in Jerusalem," from the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP): <http://www.fmep.org/reports/sr9905.htm>.

Monthly reports from ARIJ ("The Applied Research Institute-Jerusalem") details cases of "Israeli colonization" in the West Bank and Jerusalem. <http://www.arij.org/paleye/monthley/99-11/index.htm> 

"Settling the Old City: the Policies of Labor and Likud," is an article by Haleem Abu Shamseyeh, currently an official at Orient House International Relations Department. Jerusalem Quarterly File:
<http://www.jqf-jerusalem.org/journal/1999/jqf6/haleem.htm>. 

The six-part "Jerusalem - History and Present" file from the Palestine Information Center (PIC) traces the recent conflict over the city. Chapter 3 argues that "demographic superiority" was achieved in 1917-47. An excellent (albeit somewhat slanted) source of information, this chapter alone has 10 tables of statistics: <http://www.palestine-info.net/jerusalem/jerusbook/jerusbook3.htm>. 

A PIC Center writer lambasts the system of checkpoints used in Jerusalem: <http://www.palestine-info.net/jerusalem/niveeneng.htm>. 

Khalil Tofkajy surveys "Settlements in Jerusalem - goals and results":
<http://www.palestine-info.net/jerusalem/khaleeleng.htm>. 

"Zionist aggressions against Palestinian rights" in Jerusalem is at: <http://www.palestine-info.net/jerusalem/zionistagg.htm> 

And a "Letter from Jerusalem" reports on alleged cases of ID card confiscations: <http://www.ojerusalem.com/from.html>. 

D. THE TEMPLE MOUNT 
The most comprehensive account of the ancient and modern Jewish history of the Temple Mount (Beit ha-Mikdash) comes from the eponymous "Temple Mount" web site. It is mercifully free of cant, and is very informative about the activities of various Jewish extremist groups. The general
site has exhaustive historical material, plus archaeological findings on the Mount and the surrounding Old City. It highlights the research of a Tel Aviv architect, Tuvia Sagiv, at:  <http://www.templemount.org/> The latest on preparations to rebuild the Third Temple are found at their sub-site: <http://www.templemount.org/tempprep.htm>. 

Lambert Dolphin's excellent "Short Chronology of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount" (well, not so short actually) is found at: <http://www.ldolphin.org/chron.html>. 

The attractive "Israeli Culture" site has a good feature on the Mount at:
<http://israeliculture.miningco.com/culture/israeliculture/library/jerusale/bljertem.htm>.

And the Aish HaTorah Yeshiva web site offers an attractive virtual Tunnel Tour of the world's most politically sensitive system of antique plumbing: <http://aish.edu/tours/tunnel/index.html>.

Indeed, the tunnels was where the two views of the Mount clashed literally and bloodily in 1997. To survey the Islamic, history of the  Mount, perhaps the best starting point would be the web site called
"Al-Aqsa." Named after the mosque on what Muslims prefer to call Haram al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary), it contains excellent historical detail, and is found at: <http://www.al-aqsa.com/>. Here you will learn about the history of Muslim Jerusalem, and discover Islamic references to Al-Quds (like the Night Journey and the Ascent of Muhammad). The site provides details on the Mosque of al-Aqsa, the Dome of the Rock and nearby structures. 

More detail about the holiness and history of the Haram al-Sharif (including recent political clashes) appear at: <http://www.palestine-info.net/alaqsa/alharam.htm>. 

One very good Moroccan-based site is Bayt Mal Al Qods Al Sharif Agency Web Site, with news in English, French and Arabic, plus lots of history, reports, an essay on Jerusalem in 1948, data about current projects, UN resolutions, tourism, ancient gates and mosques. It also has links to information on the Organization of Islamic Conference, which sponsors the Al Qods Committee and, by extension, this site: <http://www.bma-alqods.org/englishsite/indexan.html> 

E. THINKTANKS AND EDUCATIONAL CENTERS
Jerusalem seems to have more thinktanks per square mile than any other city on earth. Quite a few have been mentioned already. Here are some more.

1. Palestinian Groups
There are a very large number of Palestinian sites. The Palestinian academic group, PASSIA, has a section devoted exclusively to Jerusalem. It includes facts, a chronology, maps, and information about meetings and summaries of their publications: <http://www.passia.org/jerusalem/Jerusalem.htm>.  One sub-file refers to their 1990-98 series of meetings, called "Dialogue on Jerusalem," and
edited by Dr. Mahdi Abdul Hadi: <http://www.passia.org/jerusalem/publications/pub_jerusalem_no_113.htm> 

Reports on Jerusalem from the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment, appear at: <http://www.lawsociety.org/reports/reports.htm>. In particular, LAW runs
a good summary of Jerusalem politics, as of mid-1998:<http://www.lawsociety.org/isrocc/jerus.html>.

The Applied Research Institute - Jerusalem (ARIJ) has a special site dedicated to "The Status of Jerusalem Reconstructed." Amongst essays there is one entitled: "Israel's Unilateral Actions Determine the Future of Jerusalem": <http://www.arij.org/paleye/jerusal/index.htm>.

The Institute of Jerusalem Studies, an affiliate of the Institute for Palestine Studies, publishes "The Jerusalem Quarterly File": <http://www.jqf-jerusalem.org/ijs/intro.htm>.

Ibrahimieh Community College is at: <http://www.ibrahimieh.edu/>. 

Dr. Sari Nusseibeh heads the newer Al Quds University: <http://www.quds.edu/>.

The Nablus-based "Center for Palestine Research and Study" occasionally features the issue of Jerusalem, especially in their opinion polls: <http://www.cprs-palestine.org/index.html>.

Lastly, don't forget to consult Bir Zeit University's ever-burgeoning "Palestine Archive" site for the latest Jerusalem-related academic events and bodies: <http://www.birzeit.edu/palarc/index.html> 

2. Israeli Groups and Institutions:
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem <http://www.huji.ac.il/unew/mainnf.html> has several centers that address the Jerusalem issue. Among these is the Harry S Truman Center for the Advancement of Peace, and, in particular, their Middle East Studies unit: <http://atar.mscc.huji.ac.il/~truman/mideastunit.htm>. 

Other Jewish educational sites in Jerusalem are listed at: <http://israeliculture.miningco.com/culture/israeliculture/library/jerusale/bljeredu.htm>. 

Religious Jewish institutes in Jerusalem are listed profusely at: <http://www.yerushalayim.net/>.

There are also many Israeli research centers dealing with Jerusalem, mostly mentioned earlier. Others include The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs: <http://www.jcpa.org/>. 

Professors for a Strong Israel has some material on Jerusalem at <http://www.aquanet.co.il/vip/bqs/index.html>.  

3. Joint Groups:
A few sites bring together Israeli and Palestinian academics. The Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies has a program on the city: <http://www.jiis.org.il/projects/jerusalem.htm> and "Think Tank on the
Jerusalem Question": <http://www.jiis.org.il/publications/thinktank.htm>. It features background papers written by respected authors, like Yitzhak Reiter, Ruth Lapidoth and Amnon Ramon. However, it is only a listing, as is the following series on architectural issues concerning Jerusalem:
<http://www.jiis.org.il/publications/jeruspec.htm>. 

And another listing of essays ("The Jerusalem Question and its Resolution," and "Whither Jerusalem? Proposals and Positions Concerning the Future of Jerusalem"): <http://www.jiis.org.il/publications/essays.htm>

The Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information (IPCRI), founded in Jerusalem in 1989, claims to be "the only joint Palestinian-Israeli public policy think-tank in the world" and is "devoted to developing practical solutions for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict." Its parent site is found at: <http://www.ipcri.org/>. IPCRI also boasts a nice Jerusalem Bibliography. This refers to real books,
not cyber-files, but unfortunately it has not been updated since October 1996: <http://www.ipcri.org/bib3.htm> 

Not so much a think-tank as a pressure group, the joint Jewish and Arab "Jerusalem Link" contains useful data on residency rights and house demolition: <http://www.batshalom.org/JerusalemLink.htm>.  

4. Groups in Other Countries
There is also lots of worthwhile information from the Washington DC-based Foundation for Middle East Peace. Their September 1998 report, for instance, includes detailed data on new building in and around Jerusalem. It also features interviews with Shimon Einstein, head of the Israeli Ministry of Interior's Village Construction Administration, and Nach Kinarti, administrator of the "Around Jerusalem" project: <http://www.fmep.org/reports/v8n5.htm> 

The American Committee on Jerusalem is a strongly pro-Palestinian site including an essay by Rashid Khalidi called "Transforming the Face of the Holy City: Political Messages in the Built Topography of Jerusalem": <http://acj.org/>. 

In Scotland, there is an Islamic Research Academy devoted entirely to the question of Islamic Jerusalem: <http://www.stir.ac.uk/relstd/afa/jerusalem/welcome.htm>. The site includes a link to its "Journal of Islamic Jerusalem Studies": <http://www.stir.ac.uk/relstd/afa/jerusalem/Jrnl.htm>. 

The Center for Middle East Peace, based in New York and Washington has a clear, short and simple guide to Jerusalem at: <http://www.centerpeace.org/factsheets/fact-sheet-jerusalem.htm> 

Another CMEP fact-sheet focuses specifically on Har Homa: <http://www.centerpeace.org/factsheets/fact-sheet-harhoma.htm>. 

The U.S.-based Anti-Defamation League has excellent data on Jerusalem within its "final status talks" sub-link: <http://www.adl.org/frames/front_towards.html>

5. Programs for study and visits:
Project Oren, run by Kibbutz Ramat Rachel, runs excursions into Jerusalem that put students "in the center of the political debate over the future of the holy city": <http://www.oranim.macam98.ac.il/kibbutz/page5.htm> 

The Rahel Yanait Ben-Zvi Center for Jerusalem Studies caters to foreign and Israeli Jewish students, and stresses the city's long historical and cultural legacy: <http://ybz.org.il/jeru.htm>.

The Jerusalem Peace Group organizes student trips: <http://www.telecommunity.org/Jerusalem_Peace/JerusalemPeace.html>. 

"A new way to see Jerusalem" (June 1998) is Daniella Ashkenazy's view of a planned multimedia show combining education with entertainment: <http://www.israel.org/mfa/go.asp?MFAH01x10>. 

F. JERUSALEM IN MAPS
There are excellent maps from Foundation for Middle East Peace at: <http://www.fmep.org/maps/>.

Equally good are maps from PASSIA, covering the periods until 1948, 1948-67, and after 1967. There are also detailed maps of the Old City: <http://www.passia.org/jerusalem/maps/0_M_A_P_S.htm>.

Five maps on Jerusalem can be found at the United Nations site, UNISPAL. These include maps of the original proposals for 1947: <http://www.un.org/Depts/dpa/qpal/pal_maps.htm>.

The British Consulate in Jerusalem web site carries a useful boundary map of Jerusalem (valid as of 1992): <http://www.britishconsulate.org/chancery/boundary.htm>.

CNN and Magellan have joined forces to produce the following outstanding (if somewhat long-loading) city map: <http://cnn.com/TRAVEL/CITY.GUIDES/WORLD/Middle.east/israel/jerusalem.html>. 

There are also some maps available from JSOURCE: <http://us-israel.org/jsource/Peace/jermaptoc.html> 

From Megastories's "Anatomy of the Middle East Conflict," find a good interactive map of the city with links to detailed information on most sections of the city. <http://www.megastories.com/mideast/index.htm>.

Charming older maps, including the ancient Madaba mosaic at: <http://israeliculture.tqn.com/culture/israeliculture/library/jerusale/bljermap.htm>. 
The prolific historian, Martin Gilbert, is renowned for his cartographic books. One of his maps shows the borders of Jerusalem, with significant dates appended:
<http://www.centerpeace.org/images/map_borders.htm>. For further details, see MERIA's own "Web Guide to Maps of the Middle East":
<http://www.biu.ac.il/SOC/besa/meria/research-g/maps.htm>. And don't forget that there is supplementary information on maps of Jerusalem, in Section 2 B, of MERIA Newsletter V.4, 2000 No.5, February 2000.

G. FUTURE PLANS
For those more interested in maps of a future Jerusalem, however, one good start may be a most illuminating article by Danny Rubinstein which appeared in the January 27, 2000 edition of the Israeli daily, Ha'aretz. Entitled "Enwrapped in mapping out the future," it examines the two main
maps of proposed divisions of the territories and shows how far apart the Israelis and Palestinians are on this crucial issue. The two maps under consideration are 1. the map that emerged from the Abu Mazen-Yossi Beilin talks; and 2. the one reputedly penned by the Jaffee Center's Joseph Alpher, which Ehud Barak is said to prefer. Find out more at:
<http://www3.haaretz.co.il/eng/scripts/article.asp?id=67335&wordd=jerusalem&mador=17&se=true&datee=01/28/00> 
So important have the Abu Mazen/ Beilin talks become that I must repeat an earlier site, Issue Brief # 2 - Jerusalem," February 1997 - which addresses this topic well: <http://web.idirect.com/~cic/issues/jerusalem.html>.

Proposals about a future Jerusalem are wonderfully summarized at the following ADL web site, which is both informative and admirably impartial: <http://www.adl.org/israel/final_status/jerusalem_6.html>.

In fact, it is worth tracking back to read the previous five chapters of this virtual mini-booklet, "Jerusalem under Oslo." It provides useful background information, describes life during the Interim Period, and outlines both the Israeli and Palestinian positions. "Jerusalem and the Broken Middle: Reflections on Jews and Palestinians after Oslo," by Marc Ellis, appeared in the Fall 1996 edition of the Arab Studies Journal: <http://sfswww.georgetown.edu/sfs/programs/ccas/asj/ellis.htm>. 

Jerusalem's role in the Oslo peace process is also touched on in a book by Singer and Eichenwald, published by BESA in February 1997, and called "Making Oslo Work." See a summary at:
<http://www.biu.ac.il/SOC/besa/books/oslo/oslotoc.html>. 

John Whitbeck, international lawyer, re-appraises the old UN condominium solution for the present and future at:<http://aic.netgate.net/Jerusalem/jerusalem/solutions_2.htm>.

Jerusalem's future was also pondered at numerous meetings held between 1992 and 1999 under the auspices of PASSIA at: <http://www.passia.org/jerusalem/meetings/jerusalem_meetings.htm>.

"Jerusalem is the stumbling block in the peace process, but also the possible key to its solution," wrote Michael Siegel, a seasoned amateur political science webster. His thought-provoking "Jerusalem Proposal" is found at: <http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/middle_east_politics/14391>. 

The AIC (Alternative Information Center) runs an interesting article called "The Face of Jerusalem in Final Status Negotiations," by Tom Abowd. It assesses the Abu Mazen/ Yossi Beilin plan in the light of recent events, and appeared in an AIC Report of May 1999:  <http://aic.netgate.net/nfw/May99/9905p18-19.htm> 

As for Abu Mazen himself, he reaffirmed the absolute primacy of UN resolutions 242 and 338 (ie full withdrawal). At least, so reports the Israeli site, "Behind the News": <http://israelvisit.co.il/BehindTheNews/Jul-13-99.htm> 
Another important and controversial document dealing with Jerusalem was the letter from Shimon Peres to Norwegian Foreign Minister Holst. The history and implications of that brief missive is dealt with fairly exhaustively at the Canadian Friends of Israel site:
<http://www.cdn-friends-icej.ca/isreport/mayjun99/peres.html> 
Peres's letter plus his analysis to the Knesset are both relayed at:
<http://almashriq.hiof.no/israel/300/320/327/letter_to_holst.html> 
Jerusalem Link has a worthy site considering the "two-capital solution," although its historical timetable has been somewhat overtaken by events:
<http://www.planet.edu/~inews2/jerusalem2capitals/org.htm> 

Tracy Wilkinson And Rebecca Trounson, staff writers for the LA Times, argue that "Two Capitals in Jerusalem (are) not unthinkable." On January 23, 2000 they cast a spotlight on the building of what they surmise is the planned Palestinian Parliament in Abu Dis. To find a summary of this
article, access the parent site: <http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/>. Then search under "Jerusalem." Purchase of the full original costs $2. 

CNN has an article from 30th January 2000, on Israeli Deputy Minister Ephraim Sneh's suggestion that Jerusalem could be expanded and shared with Palestinians: <http://cnn.com/2000/WORLD/meast/01/30/mideast.talks/>.

AIC essays on Jerusalem (mentioned above) include two on potential solutions. The first describes "a strategy to defend Jerusalem against Israeli plans to perpetuate the occupation." The second appears
considerably less adversarial, and plumps for the condominium solution. See them both at:
<http://aic.netgate.net/Jerusalem/jerusalem/Index.htm>. 
The Foundation for Middle East Peace presents a good historical sweep to Israeli plans for "Greater Jerusalem." This essay is hosted at: <http://www.al-bushra.org/jerus/greater.htm>. 

Daoud Barakat, the Palestinian Negotiations Coordinator for the Refugee Issue, addresses "The Palestinian Refugee Question in the Final Status Negotiations," with frequent reference to Jerusalem, in a site endearingly called "Jerusalem I love you": <http://www.ojerusalem.com/article303.htm>.

For brief details of a December 1995 conference called "Jerusalem and its Future," courtesy of the Hebrew University Davis Institute, see: <http://unixware.mscc.huji.ac.il/~davis/conf_jer.html>. 

Jerusalem Link (see section E, above) has the following declaration on Jersualem as joint capital of two nations: <http://www.batshalom.org/JerLinkDecl.html>.

The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs presents its own "federal solutions to intransigent problems": <http://jcpa.org/jcprg5.htm>. 

The Israel Foreign Ministry web site has an article on the need to "absorb and respect the past with humility" so as to "develop Jerusalem as a modern, working city." Penned in May 1997, it has links to two architectural features: <http://www.israel.org/mfa/go.asp?MFAH0esm0> 

In 1998, Binyamin Netanyahu's plans for Jerusalem were cause for some debate. His proposed "Umbrella Municipality" got an airing at this CIC web file: <http://web.idirect.com/~cic/jerusalem/22JUN8.htm>.

But PLO officials saw it all as an Israeli bid to strengthen its control over the city, as reported here:
<http://www.gsnonweb.com/gsnlib_a/gsnbase/98_07/980703/15735.html>. 

The UN's debates on the same issue are covered at: <http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/980701/1998070127.html>.

And in what might be a marker for tough bargaining positions in the final status talks, PLC Speaker Abu Ala (Ahmed Qurei) demanded that Israel return "every inch of occupied Jerusalem," as reported at: <http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/980623/1998062317.html>.

Yasser Arafat himself staked the Palestinian claim to the city long ago. His famous speech about his "flag flying over Jerusalem," made in 1994, is covered here: <http://www.mosquitonet.com/~prewett/ploflagandjerusal.html>. 

One essay by Muna Hamzeh-Muhaisen, in the Jerusalem Quarterly File, Issue 3, 1999, Institute of Jerusalem Studies, is called "Pre-empting Jerusalem," and looks particularly useful for those following current negotiations: <http://www.jqf-jerusalem.org/journal/1999/jqf3/muhaisen.html>.

To Abdel al Al-Baqoury, it seems, the time for pre-empting is past. It should have been "Jerusalem First," he argues - were it not for EU compliance with Israeli desires: <http://www.palestine-info.net/jerusalem/jfirst.htm>.

But what do ordinary people think? One view comes from the Jerusalem Media and Communications Center, which published their Opinion Poll No. 8 in August 1995 on Jerusalemites" opinion about their city's future, in co-operation with the newspaper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat: <http://www.jmcc.org/polls/1995/no8.htm>.

A similar poll was conducted by IPCRI in May 1995. Find it at: <http://www.ipcri.org/jeru.htm>.

H. BREAKING NEWS
Yahoo offers a top notch repository for news about the peace process, including items on Jerusalem:
<http://fullcoverage.yahoo.com/fc/World/Middle_East_Peace_Process/>. 

Similarly, you can find news on Israel via: <http://uk.fc.yahoo.com/i/israel.html>. They also have this useful guide to the Holy City's latest generation of Scribes: <http://dir.yahoo.com/Regional/Countries/Israel/Districts_and_Regions/Jerusalem/Cities/Jerusalem/News_and_Media/>.

For up-to-date news on Jerusalem, the English-language Jerusalem Post has extensive coverage: <http://www.jpost.co.il/>. Equally good is "The Jerusalem Report" magazine. Search their archive
for special features on Jerusalem, read analyses by Ehud Ya'ari, find out about Israeli politics vis-a-vis Jerusalem from Yossi Klein Halevi or Peter Hirshberg, or Palestinian politics there, Isabel Kershner and Khaled Abu Toameh: <http://www.jrep.com>. 

A new rival to both is the English-language version of Ha"aretz: <http://www3.haaretz.co.il/eng/htmls/1_1.htm>. 

Israel Wire provides extremely comprehensive daily coverage of City events - right down to the street level: <http://www.israelwire.com/>.  

Daily news in Hebrew comes from Walla: <http://dailynews.walla.co.il/> 

The Israeli Council for Israeli-Palestinian Peace (ICIPP) gives a left-wing Israeli perspective through its bimonthly English-language newsletter, "The Other Israel":
<http://www.hagalil.com/GuShalom/other_israel/uo-intro.htm>. 

At the other end of the political spectrum stands Arutz 7 Radio Station: <http://www.a7.org/>.

For copious detail on the "dangers of a divided Jerusalem," "mistreatment of Christians during the 1948-67 Arab occupation," and alarm about PLO institutions popping up in the east of the city, see the Israeli site "Our Jerusalem": <http://www.ourjerusalem.com/ourjerusalem/contents1.htm>.

The Al-Quds newspaper, by contrast, provides a Palestinian viewpoint in Arabic: <http://www.alquds.com/>.

Palestine Times is a generally anti-Arafat Palestinian publication which in past editorials has accused him of "betraying the jewel of Palestine, Jerusalem": <http://www.ptimes.com/index.htm>. Apart from news, it also runs many analysis features: <http://www.ptimes.com/current/comment.html>. In 1998 the publication featured an article by Ghada Khouri on a conference sponsored by the Middle East Institute in Washington, which gathered together prominent American, Palestinian and Israeli figures to "contrast the images and realities of Jerusalem": <http://www.ptimes.com/issue80/articles.htm#anchor812862>.

Arabview is always a good source for op-eds on the Middle East, and particularly in that it provides a forum for readers, Jewish and Arab alike, to agree with or refute the views of its authors. Dr. Abdul Qader Tash, editor-in-chief of the Saudi Arab News, got a voluble response to his March 1997 article, "Have we lost Jerusalem?" See: <http://www.arab.net/arabview/articles/tash15.html>

The Ibn Khaldun Center's newsletter, "Civil Society," often features special issues on Jerusalem. One was called "War of Votes." It was edited by Saahir Lone and appeared in February 1996: <http://www.ibnkhaldun.org/newsletter/1996/feb/index.html>. 

Another called "What Will Happen to Jerusalem in 1999?" was edited by Asmaa Shalabi, and appeared in January 1999: <http://www.ibnkhaldun.org/newsletter/1999/jan/index.html>.

Articles on Israel and the Middle East (including several on Jerusalem) appear at the London Guardian site under the following somewhat cumbersome URL: <http://www.newsunlimited.co.uk/israel/0,2759,64408,00.html>

Middle Eastern and African affairs at the Financial Times often have good features on Jerusalem written by journalists including Roula Khalaf and Judy Dempsey: <http://www.ft.com/hippocampus/wmeaf.htm>.

The Washington Post is another good source for Jerusalem articles. In particular, search for two essays from mid-1994: "Jerusalem Should Be Shared" by Gershon Baskin, co-head of IPCRI (June 26, 1994) and a rebuttal, "Jerusalem Is Already Shared." You can find both by using the Post's search engine: <http://search.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/searches/mainsrch.htm> 

A nice summary of the whole Har Homa issue, within the general context of Jerusalem, appears at the following CBC special site: <http://cbc.ca/news/indepth/mideast/harhoma_abughnaim.html>

BBC's Middle East news coverage often has items on Jerusalem: <http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/middle_east/default.stm> and there is more detailed reportage "From Our Own Correspondent": <http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/from_our_own_correspondent/default.stm>. BBC Monitoring likewise comes up with unusual nuggets. One posted from Jerusalem, for instance, reports how Palestinians from Beit Sahur (technically within Israeli Jerusalem) have lost faith with the heavy-handed methods employed by the PNA's security forces: <http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/monitoring/media_reports/>.

France's "Le Monde Diplomatique" enjoys a penchant for things Middle Eastern. Here is one hard-hitting article by Eitan Feldner, executive director of B'Tzelem, the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories. It is called "Creeping Annexation of the West Bank," considers especially settlements around Jerusalem, and appeared in November 1999: <http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/en/1999/11/08israel>.

In 1998 Al-Ahram ran a series of articles on 50 years of Israeli statehood and 50 years of Palestinian dispersal. These impressive if somewhat polemical essays are collated at: <http://www.ahram.org.eg/weekly/1998/1948/index.htm>. 

The "Arab Media Internet Network" (AMIN) has a special section called "Eye on Jerusalem." Most of the innumerable articles come from the pen of Daoud Kuttab: <http://www.amin.org/En/eyejrs/>.

Robert Hannum, of the United Methodist movement, reported on the crisis after the Hamas bombings in 1996: <http://www.umr.org/HTannu.htm>. News from the UN about Jerusalem and the Israel/Palestine question are generally available via: <http://domino.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/>. 

Vol. 2, No. 2 of the Palestine Israel Journal is entirely devoted to "Our Jerusalem," and includes 14 articles by the likes of Anat Hoffman, Ziyad Abu Zayyad, Jonathan Kuttab, Sari Nusseibeh and Naomi Chazan. Unfortunately, the web page only gives a table of contents, but allows one to order the print original: <http://www.pij.org/>.

The wonder of the internet is that just about anyone can write anything, no matter how irate or ungrammatical. So, for some lively personal views, have a look at the "Jewish-Palestinian Encounter Site's" immense and lively archive on the Jerusalem issue: <http://www.salam-shalom.net/salam-shalom/arcmar23.htm>

Yet if most of the above leads one to despair, remember, this is nothing new. The immortal words of Psalm 122 - "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem" are surely as valid today as they ever were. <http://www.israel-mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH00j70>. 

Lawrence Joffe is a noted British journalist and MERIA's representative in the United Kingdom. His books include Keesing's Guide to the Middle East Peace Process.

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