I keep pushing for a more detailed discussion of the issues surrounding Palestinian statehood in the American press, so Americans can figure out whether they’re on Doug Feith’s side–One Jerusalem–or J Street’s. Real Clear Politics runs a helpful piece today, by Pierre Atlas:
In its three-thousand year history, Jerusalem was divided for only
eighteen years, from 1949 to 1967. This was a disaster and should not
be allowed to happen again. But for a two-state solution to succeed,
Jerusalem must become the capital of both Israel and Palestine. Israeli
and Palestinian negotiators have been exploring the idea of dual
municipalities for years. Imagine if Obama had told the AIPAC audience
that while Jerusalem should not be re-divided, it ultimately must be
shared. He could have shown bold leadership and vision on one of the
most vexing issues of our time, and he would have been supported by a
large number of American Jews.
Muriel Spark’s novel Mandelbaum Gate (the old gate on the Green Line now marked only by a plaque) includes wonderful descriptions of the price of that division. Fear, arrests, smuggling, intrigue. I’d add that Jerusalem is now somewhat sequestered if it is not divided. An Arab merchant in the Old City told me that the number of Islamic pilgrims is sharply reduced by Israeli control. I need to get the facts on that one…
