Urban planning for oppression : israeli planning of public green spaces in jerusalem as a tool for confiscating palestinian land

Abstract EN

Jerusalem is a religious symbol with several social, cultural and economic meanings with a prolonged history of civilization and development.

Its western part was occupied by Zionist organization in 1948 and the rest of it was occupied by Israel in 1967.

In 1980, Israel annexed the eastern part and declared it as its united capital.

Israeli occupation has severely damaged the urban structure of the city and dangerously affected its Arab population ; Moslems and Christians alike through continuous programmed military, political and economic hostile activities.

Among these, the planning of green open spaces has been used as a means of racial discrimination between Jews and Arabs.

More dangerously, it has been used as a means of confiscating Palestinians' land and controlling its development.

One of the Israeli innovations in this regard was the 1967 Town Planning Law which regulated several complicated administrative and judicial procedures for planning and building permission in Arab areas.

More than 40 % of Palestinian land in East Jerusalem was since then preserved as green open spaces for the future development of Jewish settlements.

This research reviews the development of urban planning in Jerusalem since the start of the British Mandate in 1918 to investigate the planning of green open spaces and its role in the development of the urban structure in the holy city.

It is concluded that the planning of green open spaces has been used by the Israeli authorities as a means of oppression and deprivation for the Palestinian population and as a means for confiscation their land for Jewish settlements.

This necessitates serious and effective steps from Palestinian, Arab and international organizations to counteract the Israeli aggressions and stop the deterioration of the Palestinian life in the holy city.