Ruth Lapidoth – författare

It is universally accepted that Jerusalem is a unique city. It stirs up strong emotions among adherents of various religions as it is the centre of three religions, and it is the subject of conflicting national aspirations of two peoples. The diverse attitudes and wishes associated with the city are expressed, inter alia, in certain documents. This collection presents the most important of these documents. This will help the reader to understand the difficulties and may assist in the search for solutions. There may be differences of opinion over historical facts and documents may be subject to differing interpretations. Convenient access to the relevant documents is a prerequisite for any attempt to understand the problem and seek solutions. The collection includes documents concerning the status of Jerusalem from the point of view of Israel's law and administration, as well as documents from the Arab world and from the international sphere. The editors have focused on official documents and in particular on those that have had a practical influence on the status of the city, or are likely to do so in the future. The collection will assist students and scholars who seek to understand the special status of Jerusalem, as well as politicians and diplomats who are responsible for ensuring its welfare and prosperity.

The future of Jerusalem is the most difficult issue facing negotiators, political and legal experts. In the current peace talks between Israel and its neighbours, it has been agreed to postpone discussion on Jerusalem to the latest stage of the peace process. But the Jerusalem question continues to come to the fore at every turn, always charged with intensely emotional and uncompromising statements: not only from those parties who are directly involved, but also by eminent personalities, organizations and states elsewhere. The Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies has collected 55 proposals: 12 were written between 1916-1950 and 43 between 1967-1993. Their authors, coming from various countries, present various approaches to the three main issues at stake: sovereignty, holy places, and municipal governance. Whither Jerusalem? summarizes each of the 55 proposals, gives brief information about their authors, and analyzes the similarities and divergences between them. The official position of five states and organizations is included, as well as a lexicon of terms used by the authors of the proposals.