What's the Problem With Jerusalem?

Western readers have difficulties understanding the complex situation of Jerusalem. The following text is far from a comprehensive geo-socio-political description but it is an excellent historical summary and discussion of the root causes of the current problems (including recent events such as the injuries and deaths caused by Arab residents of Jerusalem with bulldozers in West Jerusalem*).

The author is Uri Avnery, who was a soldier in the Israeli Defense Forces in 1948, former Israeli Paliamentary, and a landmark figure of the Israeli Peace Groups. Uri Avnery is not a naive dreamer; he does not idealize Palestinians or Palestinian issues; and he seems to care an awful lot about his country, Israel. Take five minutes and read "If I Forget Thee, Umm Touba…" on http://zope.gush-shalom.org/home/en/channels/avnery/1217070038?ver=Sat%2C%2026%20Jul%202008%2014%3A00%3A40%20%2B0300


* see last entry: http://livingbetweenworlds.blogspot.com/2008/07/terrorism-by-bulldozers.html)