Security: Dividing Jerusalem would lead to disorder from a municipal standpoint and to downright chaos in terms of security. The various Arab terror groups would compete for supremacy, imperiling the security and well being of residents and tourists on both sides of the city.
Democracy: Most Arabs in Jerusalem do not want to come under PA or Hamas control and give up their Israeli benefits, financial and otherwise.
Religious Freedom and Holy Sites: Under Israeli control, Jerusalem has become an open city, embracing all religions. Only Israel can guarantee that it will remain this way, and that holy sites will be freely accessible to all. Past Jordanian control of Jerusalem, PA control of Joseph’s Tomb in Shechem (Nablus), and the desecration by PLO terrorists of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem in May 2002 are examples of abuse of Jewish and Christian holy sites.
International Tensions: A change in Jerusalem’s political status quo, and the ensuing tensions in the city, would lead to similar tensions around the world between Jews, Muslims, and Christians.
Ramifications on the Rest of Israel: Arab control of even part of Jerusalem, and especially as its capital, would not only be a blow to Israeli sovereignty and identity but would also embolden Arab aspirations to continue to chip away at the rest of Israel. Such aspirations are clearly spelled out in the original PLO Charter, which calls repeatedly and unambiguously for the violent “liberation of Palestine.” They are also a fundamental element of the PLO’s “Phased Plan” of 1974, which calls for the destruction of Israel through stages.
For more information on how to participate in keeping Jerusalem Jewish, via updates, bus tours of critical parts of Jerusalem, and more, send an e-mail to [email protected] or visit the Keep Jerusalem-Im Eshkachech website at www.keepjerusalem.org.
Chaim Silberstein is president of Keep Jerusalem-Im Eshkachech and the Jerusalem Capital Development Fund. He was formerly a senior adviser to Israel’s minister of tourism. Hillel Fendel, past senior editor at Israel National News/Arutz-7, is a veteran writer on Jerusalem affairs. Both have lived in Jerusalem and now reside in Beit El.