Israeli Policy to Control the Old City of Jerusalem

Abstract

This research examines the systematic Israeli policies aimed at asserting full control over the Old City of Jerusalem, which is considered the heart of the conflict. The study relies on legal, historical, and field-based analysis of a range of measures practiced by the Israeli occupation authorities from 1967 to the present day. These measures involve overlapping tools, including settlement expansion, Judaization, forced displacement of residents, seizure of property, and alteration of the area's urban and demographic character. The research also addresses the period experienced by the Old City following the Nakba War of 1948.The study highlights key laws employed to tighten Israeli control over the Old City, such as the Absentees’ Property Law and the Planning and Building Law, among other legislations that serve settlement objectives. These laws are used as pretexts to demolish Palestinian homes and deny building permits, while offering unlimited facilitations to settlers and settlement organizations.Additionally, the research tracks the policies aimed at erasing the Islamic and Christian cultural identity of the city through excavations, tunnels, and the renaming of sites.The research is based on a variety of credible sources, including reports by Palestinian and international human rights organizations, journalistic investigations, and specialized academic studies. It presents field examples such as policies affecting the Al-Aqsa Mosque.The research concludes that the Israeli policies in the Old City constitute a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and represent a systematic plan to empty the city of its Palestinian population and alter its character in favor of the Israeli occupation. It recommends activating legal and diplomatic tools at the international level, supporting the resilience of Jerusalemite residents, and systematically documenting violations in legal and human rights forums.