Jerusalem, Essay Example

1. What seems to have motivated the Israelis to create the separation wall, the settlements in the occupied West Bank, and the expansion in in East Jerusalem (formerly known as the Arab quarter)? What justifications are used for expansion?

The main reason that the Israeli’s created the separation wall is to form a physical barrier between the inhabitants of Israel and those in Palestine. The reasons for this separation are for both protections of the Israeli citizens and as a political statement to indicate that since there is a physical separation between the Israeli’s and Palestinian’s, there is a political one as well. In addition to the creation of the separation wall, the settlements in the occupied West Bank and expansion in East Jerusalem attempt to further the message that Israel is the home of the Israeli’s and they will not tolerate other groups of people who could threaten their safety. The excuses that the Israeli government has made concerning this expansion is that they have the right to exploit the potential of these communities.

2. Since the creation of the separation wall, suicide bombing have gone down significantly in Israel. What long term dangers are there to Israel in the creation of the wall, and more settlements and expansion in East Jerusalem, based on the films here?

Although the creation of the wall has prevented Israel against suicide bombings, a major concern it should have is the message that it sends to the rest of the Middle East. Israel is in a unique situation because they are the only Middle Eastern country that is not primarily Arab or Muslim and the country does not have many allies in its immediate area. Rather than building a fence to mark borders, they built a wall to indicate that the borders will remain permanent and Palestinians will never acquire the land. This angers many people in Middle Eastern countries who believe that the Palestinian’s have a right to this land over the Israeli’s. As a consequence, the decision to create the separation wall will create a desire for other countries in the Middle East to wage wars over Israeli land, which may or may not be in partnership with the Palestinian’s. Israel has waged similar wars with Syria in the past, and it wouldn’t be surprising if such a war were to occur again.

3. What is urban space like in these films? What is life like on the different side of the wall and division? Consider not only the ethnic/religious differences, but also the obvious social differences depicted in the films.

In an obvious sense, the people on the Israeli side of the wall are people who are typically of Jewish decent, who came from all over the world seeking the country as their safe haven from religious and cultural prosecution. In addition to Israeli’s, there are many Palestinian’s and other people of Arab decent living within the walls who have accepted the Israeli government as their own and many of these people are citizens. The people who live on the other side of the wall, outside of Israel are typically of Palestinian decent and are Muslim. These people are unwilling to recognize the state of Israel and are in constant conflict because they originally held the land want it returned to them. The people living within Israel are at a clear socioeconomic advantage compared to those living outside the border. Because they have a majority of the resources available to the country and an increased ability to conduct commerce, the people live a better lifestyle. In contrast, people who live on the other side of the wall appear poor and unhappy.

4. How does the wall in particular reshape life for both Israelis and Palestinians?

The wall reshapes life for both groups of people because it is a constant reminder of the issues they must both face. The wall reminds the Israel’s of the constant threat they must face by continuing to live in the country, including the fact that they must have a mandatory draft in order to ensure that the country will continue to exist. These people live in constant fear that the Palestinian’s will initiate some form of attack again them. Meanwhile, the wall reminds the Palestinian’s that they were evicted from a place that was once their home. This reshapes their life because they are having difficulty in recovering from the relocation. As a consequence they lead poor lives and many groups wish to harm the Israeli’s in an attempt to get the land back.

5. How has urban planning been used to help Israel gain control of East Jerusalem? How does this use of urban planning align with the use of urban planning we have studied historically? How is it different?

Urban planning has made it more difficult for Arab people to obtain housing permits within East Jerusalem, which forces them to look for housing elsewhere. In addition, people who are married to those in Gaza or the West Bank are considered to legally reside there and they are required to join their spouses. Since Israel is divided into four quadrants, one of which housed primarily Arab people, they are trying to become the majority in the city by making housing regulations more difficult for people living in the Arab quadrant. Compared to historical urban planning, cities with people from different classes and ethnic groups would live together by choice and weren’t typically relocated on the whims of the majority. Furthermore, these divisions were less physical and more assumed.