A new five-part docuseries on Jerusalem’s Seam Line is set to be released this Thursday – Jerusalem Day – by former Jerusalem head of the city’s head of Arab Affairs, Avi Melamed.
“The Seam Line,” intended to shine a light on the centuries-old conflict over the holy city, launches May 18 on the streaming platform IZZY.
In the series, the multifaceted flashpoints of Jerusalem are examined through the eyes of Melamed, a Jerusalemite by birth who served with the city government during the political upheaval of the first intifada and the mid-1990s.
“Despite the inflammatory media headlines, opportunities for collaboration and friendship always exist,” Melamed says. “I want the public to hear that directly from the residents – both Jewish and Muslim – who inhabit this city day-to-day.
“The ordinary people who live here yearn for peaceful coexistence and do not identify with the values often propagated by their political leaders and various journalists.”
Each episode highlights a unique part of the city’s delicate fabric and introduces viewers to the people living there, who share their perspectives.
The first episode introduces the viewer to the geopolitics of Jerusalem. The second episode focuses on the Old City and its tensions and opportunities for collaboration. The third episode examines the Temple Mount and the power struggles surrounding the site. The fourth episode focuses on the neighborhood of Isawiya, a focal point of heightened violence during the Intifada. The last episode of the series highlights the Arab neighborhood known as Jabel Mukabar, which exists on the seam line of the Jewish neighborhood of Armon HaNatziv. This episode highlights the individuals who chose to engage in pragmatic dialogue instead of violence to advance the interests of their communities.
“The series underscores that while the fabric of coexistence along the Seam Line neighborhoods of Jerusalem remains very delicate, it is important to remember that choosing collaboration and pragmatic dialogue over counterproductive methods will always strengthen the threads that tie us all together,” Melamed says.
