New Construction in East Jerusalem: What It Really Means
As I read the comments and posts following the Ir Amim post protesting continued settlement construction in east Jerusalem, I see several things. First, the comments are highly polarized around the status of Jerusalem. Second, I see no discussion of how the status of Jerusalem might be resolved in a way that makes sense to the Israelis and the Palestinians. As long as people focus on their personal opinions and feelings, the status of Jerusalem will continue to polarize and divide. There has been terrible suffering and violence instigated by all sides against the others. Can we accept that Jerusalem symbolizes sacred and holy ground, national pride, religious identity, and has deep, heart-felt meaning for the Jewish and Arab people of the region? Accepting this deeply held, mutual, sacred belief, can we fashion a remedy that honors the God of Abraham and the history of suffering witnessed around this land? There is much more than honor at stake here, of course, and starting with the acknowledgment of the sacred is only one place to start. However, it is a starting point that seems based on common ground.
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