Islamization of Social Identity in East Jerusalem; a Response to Identity Threat

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Islamization of Social Identity in East Jerusalem; a Response to Identity Threat Master’s Thesis 2018 30 ECTS LANDSAM Stig Hansen Islamization of Social Identity in East Jerusalem; A response to identity threat Shahd Al Ja’bari International Development Studies Landscape and Society i Islamization of Social Identity in East Jerusalem; A response to identity threat Shahd Al Ja’bari International Development Studies ii The Department of International Environment and Development Studies, Noragric, is the international gateway for the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU). Established in 1986, Noragric’s contribution to international development lies in the interface between research, education (Bachelor, Master and PhD programmes) and assignments. The Noragric Master’s theses are the final theses submitted by students in order to fulfil the requirements under the Noragric Master’s programmes ‘International Environmental Studies’, ‘International Development Studies’ and ‘International Relations’. The findings in this thesis do not necessarily reflect the views of Noragric. Extracts from this publication may only be reproduced after prior consultation with the author and on condition that the source is indicated. For rights of reproduction or translation contact Noragric. © Shahd Al Ja’bari, August 2018 [email protected] Noragric Department of International Environment and Development Studies The Faculty of Landscape and Society P.O. Box 5003 N-1432 Ås Norway Tel.: +47 67 23 00 00 Internet: https://www.nmbu.no/fakultet/landsam/institutt/noragric iii Declaration I, Shahd Al Ja’bari, declare that this thesis is a result of my research investigations and findings. Sources of information other than my own have been acknowledged and a reference list has been appended. This work has not been previously submitted to any other university for award of any type of academic degree. Signature...................................... Date.............................................. iv v Abstract The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has always been one of the most debated political cases. However, usually the focus is on the physical, political and economic views of the conflict. This research focuses on the psychosocial analysis of the Palestinian social identity in Jerusalem. It explores the reasons behind the Islamization of social identity among Palestinian Jerusalemites. It does so through the eyes of Palestinian females who live in East Jerusalem. The study seeks to understand how the Palestinian participants from East Jerusalem define their social identity. The definition was categorized into three groups: Islamic, Arabic and Palestinian. In addition to that, the study investigated the perceived threats posed on the participant’s social identity. These threats are categorized into: threats from the Israeli occupation, the Palestinian society itself, and the corruption of the Palestinian authority. Moreover, this research compares the role of religion in the lives of Palestinian Jerusalemites now and twenty years ago. Therefore, it shows how and when the Islamization of social identity started. The results of this research are based on primary and secondary resources. I have conducted 25 individual interviews and a process of participant observation. The argument of this paper is that the Islamization of social identity in Jerusalem is a process with two main reasons behind it. First, the fall of Palestinian nationalism after the Oslo Accords and the Palestinian civil war. This led into identity crisis and created an identity vacuity which needed to be filled. Second the direct threat posed on the Palestinian Islamic identity during the Second Intifada and until now. This made the Islamic identity the salient one. The Islamic identity needed to be defended, therefore, it was prioritized and used to demonstrate the urgency of staying in Jerusalem. Key words: Islamization, Social identity, Social identity threat. vi vii Table of Contents Declaration ............................................................................................................................................. iv Abstract .................................................................................................................................................. vi Acknowledgment .................................................................................................................................... x Chapter 1 ................................................................................................................................................. 1 1.0 Background and Rationale of the Study ................................................................................. 1 1.2 Research Question and Objectives ......................................................................................... 2 Chapter 2 ................................................................................................................................................. 4 2.1 Research Methodology ........................................................................................................... 4 2.2 Sampling Design ...................................................................................................................... 5 2.3 Characteristics of Participants ...................................................................................................... 6 2.3.1 Gender ................................................................................................................................... 6 2.3.2 Age ......................................................................................................................................... 7 2.3.3 Education status ..................................................................................................................... 7 2.3.4 Economic status ..................................................................................................................... 8 2.4 Data Collection Methods ........................................................................................................ 8 2.5 Study Area ................................................................................................................................... 10 2.6 Data Analysis Methods ......................................................................................................... 11 2.7 Ethical considerations ........................................................................................................... 11 2.8 Limitations of the Study ........................................................................................................ 12 Chapter 3 ............................................................................................................................................... 14 3.1 Identity ........................................................................................................................................ 14 3.1.1Social Identity ........................................................................................................................ 14 3.1.2Social Identity Threat ............................................................................................................ 16 3.1.3 Islamization of Social Identity as a Form of resistance ........................................................ 19 3.2.1 Social identity under conflict ............................................................................................... 20 3.2.2 The Importance of a Psychosocial perspective on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict .............. 22 3.2.3 Use of Language in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict .............................................................. 23 3.2.4 Israel’s Ethnonational Regime ............................................................................................. 25 Chapter four .......................................................................................................................................... 29 4.1 The Establishment of an Israeli State .......................................................................................... 29 4.2 The Occupation of Jerusalem ...................................................................................................... 30 4.3 The First Intifada ......................................................................................................................... 31 4.4 The Second Intifada .................................................................................................................... 32 4.5 The Palestinian Civil War ............................................................................................................. 33 4.6 The Aqsa Mosque July Events ..................................................................................................... 33 viii 4.7 History and the Development of the Palestinian Identity .......................................................... 35 Chapter 5 ............................................................................................................................................... 39 5.1 Participants’ perception of social identity .................................................................................. 39 5.1.1 Islamic identity ..................................................................................................................... 39 5.1.2 Arabic identity ...................................................................................................................... 44 5.1.3 Palestinian identity
Recommended publications
  • An Examination of Israeli Municipal Policy in East Jerusalem Ardi Imseis
    American University International Law Review Volume 15 | Issue 5 Article 2 2000 Facts on the Ground: An Examination of Israeli Municipal Policy in East Jerusalem Ardi Imseis Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu/auilr Part of the International Law Commons Recommended Citation Imseis, Ardi. "Facts on the Ground: An Examination of Israeli Municipal Policy in East Jerusalem." American University International Law Review 15, no. 5 (2000): 1039-1069. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Washington College of Law Journals & Law Reviews at Digital Commons @ American University Washington College of Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in American University International Law Review by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ American University Washington College of Law. For more information, please contact [email protected]. FACTS ON THE GROUND: AN EXAMINATION OF ISRAELI MUNICIPAL POLICY IN EAST JERUSALEM ARDI IMSEIS* INTRODUCTION ............................................. 1040 I. BACKGROUND ........................................... 1043 A. ISRAELI LAW, INTERNATIONAL LAW AND EAST JERUSALEM SINCE 1967 ................................. 1043 B. ISRAELI MUNICIPAL POLICY IN EAST JERUSALEM ......... 1047 II. FACTS ON THE GROUND: ISRAELI MUNICIPAL ACTIVITY IN EAST JERUSALEM ........................ 1049 A. EXPROPRIATION OF PALESTINIAN LAND .................. 1050 B. THE IMPOSITION OF JEWISH SETTLEMENTS ............... 1052 C. ZONING PALESTINIAN LANDS AS "GREEN AREAS".....
    [Show full text]
  • Palestinian Cultural and Religious Heritage in Jerusalem
    PALESTINIAN CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS HERITAGE IN JERUSALEM Painting by Abed Rahman Abu Arafeh, Damascus Gate (1997) INTRODUCTION October 2020 The Old City of Jerusalem is distinguished from any other historic city for its universal value. It is home to the most sacred religious Contents: shrines in the world, including Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Shar- if, Al-Buraq Wall also known as the Western Wall, and the Church Introduction.............................................................. 1 of the Holy Sepulcher. Within its walls, one can find numerous 1. Historical Background........................................... 2 mosques, churches, convents, zawayas1 and mausoleums sacred to 2. Palestinian Culture and Heritage in Jerusalem ..... 3 many believers worldwide. 2.1 Tangible Heritage (Landmarks and Artefacts)......3 2.2 Intangible Heritage (Palestinian Culture and Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List (at the request of the Identity) ............................................................. 6 Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan) since 1981, the Old City of Jerusalem 3. Violations Against Religious and Cultural and its Walls have a unique and valuable historic, religious and Heritage in Jerusalem .......................................... 8 cultural heritage and identity, that was skillfully builtover centuries, and demonstrates the diverse urban and architectural styles 3.1 Israeli Attempts to Erase Palestinian Culture developed over centuries. UNESCO’s 1982 listing of the Old City as from Jerusalem .................................................
    [Show full text]
  • The Judaization of Jerusalem/Al-Quds
    Published by Americans for The Link Middle East Understanding, Inc. Volume 51, Issue 4 Link Archives: www.ameu.org September-October 2018 The Judaization of Jerusalem/Al-Quds by Basem L. Ra'ad About This Issue: Basem Ra’ad is a professor emeritus at Al-Quds University in Jerusalem. This is his second feature article for The Link; his first, “Who Are The Ca- naanites’? Why Ask?,” appeared in our December, 2011 issue. John F. Mahoney, Executive Director The Link Page 2 The Judaization of Jerusalem / Al-Quds Board of Directors by Basem L. Ra'ad Jane Adas, President Elizabeth D. Barlow Edward Dillon Henrietta Goelet John Goelet At last year’s Toronto Palestinian Film Festival, I attended a session Richard Hobson, Treasurer entitled “Jerusalem, We Are Here,” described as an interactive tour of 1948 Anne R. Joyce, Vice President West Jerusalem. It was designed by a Canadian-Israeli academic specifically Janet McMahon as a virtual excursion into the Katamon and Baqʿa neighborhoods, inhabited John F. Mahoney, Ex. Director by Christian and Muslim Palestinian families before the Nakba — in Darrel D.Meyers English, the Catastrophe. Brian Mulligan Daniel Norton Little did I anticipate the painful memories this session would bring. Thomas Suárez The tour starts in Katamon at an intersec- James M. Wall tion that led up to the Semiramis Hotel. The hotel was blown up by the Haganah President-Emeritus on the night of 5-6 January 1948, killing 25 Robert L. Norberg civilians, and was followed by other at- National Council tacks intended to vacate non-Jewish citi- Kathleen Christison zens from the western part of the city.
    [Show full text]
  • Political Islam in Contested Jerusalem: the Emerging Role of Islamists from Within Israel
    Divided Cities/Contested States Working Paper No. 12, 2009 Political Islam in Contested Jerusalem: The Emerging Role of Islamists from within Israel Mick Dumper, Department of Politics, University of Exeter Craig Larkin, Department of Politics, University of Exeter Conflict in Cities and the Contested State: Everyday life and the possibilities for transformation in Belfast, Jerusalem and other divided cities UK Economic and Social Research Council Large Grants Scheme, RES-060-25-0015, 2007-2012. Divided Cities/Contested States Working Paper Series www.conflictincities.org/workingpapers.html Editor: Prof James Anderson Associate Editors: Prof Mick Dumper, Prof Liam O'Dowd and Dr Wendy Pullan Editorial Assistant: Dr Milena Komarova Correspondence to: [email protected]; [email protected] THE SERIES 1. From empires to ethno-national conflicts: A framework for studying ‘divided cities’ in ‘contested states’ – Part 1, J. Anderson, 2008. 2. The politics of heritage and the limitations of international agency in divided cities: The role of UNESCO in Jerusalem’s Old City, M. Dumper and C. Larkin, 2008. 3. Shared space in Belfast and the limits of A Shared Future, M. Komarova, 2008. 4. The multiple borders of Jerusalem: Policy implications for the future of the city, M. Dumper, 2008. 5. New spaces and old in ‘post-conflict’ Belfast, B. Murtagh, 2008 6. Jerusalem’s ‘City of David’: The politicisation of urban heritage, W. Pullan and M. Gwiazda, 2008. 7. Post-conflict reconstruction in Mostar: Cart before the horse, J. Calame and A. Pasic, 2009. 8. Reconstructing and deconstructing Beirut: Space, memory and Lebanese youth, C.
    [Show full text]
  • The Civic Coalition to Defend Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem's
    The Civic Coalition to Defend Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem’s Submission to the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review of Israel December 2008 Submitted July 2008 Contacts Zakaria Odeh Director The Civic Coalition to Defend Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem [email protected]: 972 (2)2343930 The Civic Coalition to Defend Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem is a nongovernmental nonprofit coalition of institutions, societies, associations and individuals with experience and mandate of working in Jerusalem on human rights issues. CCDPRJ was established in 2005 and currently has a membership of 18 institutions. Our vision: To ensure the fortitude of Palestinians in Jerusalem and to protect them from Israeli occupation’s practices and measures. Our mission: To mobilize efforts, capacities and resources to protect the political, civil, economic, social and cultural rights of Palestinians in Jerusalem based on international law and human rights law. ISRAEL Civic Coalition for Jersualem Submission to the UN Universal Periodic Review Third session of UPR Working Group, Dec 1 – 12 2008 Key Words: Jerusalem; Local Outline Plan Jerusalem 2000; Israeli planning system; home demolition; settlements’ cultural, social and political rights; religious freedom In this submission, the Civic Coalition provides information under Section C, Promotion and Protection of Human Rights on the Ground: Implementation of of international human rights obligations of the Human Rights Council’s Guidelines for the Preparation of Information under UPR.i
    [Show full text]
  • A “New Hamas” Through Its New Documents
    A “NEW HAMAS” THROUGH ITS NEW DOCUMENTS 1 KHALED HROUB Since Hamas won the Palestinian legislative elections in January 2006, its political positions as presented in the Western media hark back to its 1988 charter, with almost no reference to its considerable evolution under the impact of political developments. The present article analyzes (with long verbatim extracts) three recent key Hamas documents: its fall 2005 electoral platform, its draft program for a coalition government, and its cabinet platform as presented on 27 March 2006. Analysis of the documents reveals not only a strong programmatic and, indeed, state building emphasis, but also considerable nuance in its positions with regard to resistance and a two-state solution. The article pays particular attention to the sectarian content of the documents, finding a progressive de-emphasis on religion in the three. SINCE ITS EMERGENCE in the late 1980s, perhaps the most important turning point in Hamas’s political life has been its unexpected victory in the January 2006 Palestinian Council (PC) elections in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Overnight, it was transformed from an opposition movement that had no part in the “national” governing structure to a party called upon to govern. Inevitably, the realities and challenges brought about by this new circumstance could only accelerate a shift in the movement’s thinking and practice, a shift already signaled by its very decision to participate in the elections. From its establishment, Hamas had steadfastly refused to run in any national elections, either for PC or for the presidency of the Palestinian Authority (PA).
    [Show full text]
  • Israeli Colonization of East Jerusalem Involves Destruction “Settlers” That the “Settlements” Are So Large As to Be Irreversible
    Israeli Colonization of East Jerusalem Factsheet Series No. 78, updated: September 2012, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East 2 What is the status and significance of East is the Israeli capital. This clause was declared “null and Jerusalem? void” and “in violation of international law” by UN Security Council Resolution 478 (1980), which considers The Partition Plan adopted by the UN in 1947 anticipated East Jerusalem as “occupied Palestinian territory” and its that Jerusalem would be placed under international Palestinian residents to be protected by international jurisdiction. However, this never took place, since humanitarian law. 3 Jerusalem was divided in two under the 1949 armistice agreement between Israel and Jordan following the first On July 9 2004 the International Court of Justice ruled: Israeli-Arab war (1948-1949). Under that agreement, the “[...] Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian western part of Jerusalem fell under Israeli control, while Territory, including East Jerusalem, are illegal and an the predominately Muslim and Christian eastern part fell obstacle to peace and to economic and social under Jordan’s. In the June 1967 war, Israel conquered development [. .] actions taken by Israel, the occupying and militarily occupied East Jerusalem, the West Bank, Power, to change the status and demographic composition of Occupied East Jerusalem have no legal Gaza, Syria’s Golan Heights and Egypt’s Sinai. Israel then 4 annexed the 6.5 square kilometres of East Jerusalem, as validity and are null and void.” well as 64 square kilometres of adjacent land in the West Why is colony growth in East Jerusalem Bank containing numerous Palestinian villages.
    [Show full text]
  • How Muslims Now View a Pilgrimage to Jerusalem by Madison Rinder
    MENU Policy Analysis / Fikra Forum How Muslims Now View a Pilgrimage to Jerusalem by Madison Rinder Feb 16, 2018 Also available in Arabic / Farsi ABOUT THE AUTHORS Madison Rinder Madison Rinder graduated in 2017 from Northwestern University, where she majored in Middle East and North African studies with a minor in business. She currently works as an intern at the Washington Institute. Brief Analysis his week's unusual public visit to Jerusalem by Omani foreign minister Yusuf bin Alawi called attention to an T intriguing recent trend. At the meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul on December 13, 2017, convened in response to President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and move the U.S. embassy there, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for Muslims from around the world to travel to Jerusalem and specifically to visit the al-Aqsa Mosque. While Erdogan's most recent call was billed as a response to Trump's announcement, the record shows that this announcement did not precipitate the trend of rising Muslim—and especially Turkish—travel to Jerusalem. In fact, Erdogan had been encouraging Turkish Muslims to travel to Jerusalem for several years before Trump's Jerusalem decision. As early as 2014, 10-15,000 Turkish citizens traveled to Jerusalem, according to the head of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TURSAB), Basaran Ulusoy. In February 2015, Turkey's Directorate of Religious Affairs included the al-Aqsa Mosque in the Turkish pilgrims' program—some would travel to Jerusalem before continuing to Mecca and Medina.
    [Show full text]
  • Bulletin-28: Jerusalem
    JERUSALEM THE EPITOME OF ISRAELI ANNEXATION, COLONIZATION AND FORCIBLE TRANSFER BULLETIN NO. 28 BADIL بـديـــــل Resource Center املركز الفلسطيني for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights ملصـادر حقـوق املواطنـة والـالجئيـن June 2019 All rights reserved © BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights Bulletin No. 28: Jerusalem: the epitome of Israeli annexation, colonization and forcible transfer June 2019 Notations Any quotation of up to 500 words may be used without permission provided that full attribution is given. Longer quotations, entire chapters, or sections of this study may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means; electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, or stored in any retrieval system of any nature, without the express written permission of BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights. BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights Karkafa St. PO Box 728, Bethlehem, West Bank; Palestine Tel.: +970-2-277-7086; Fax: +970-2-274-7346 Website: www.badil.org BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights is an independent, non-profit human rights organization working to defend and promote the rights of Palestinian refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). Our vision, mission, programs and relationships are defined by our Palestinian identity and the principles of international humanitarian and human rights law. We seek to advance the individual and collective rights of the Palestinian people on this basis. 2 Jerusalem: the epitome of Israeli annexation, colonization and forcible transfer The city of Jerusalem is the most advanced example of how Israel deploys multiple mechanisms in order to acquire sovereignty over Palestinian land and confine the Palestinian population to discrete pockets of existence.
    [Show full text]
  • Between Sumud and Submission Palestinian Popular Practices on the Land in the Edge Areas of Jerusalem Alkhalili, Noura
    Between Sumud and Submission Palestinian Popular Practices on the Land in the Edge Areas of Jerusalem Alkhalili, Noura 2017 Document Version: Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Link to publication Citation for published version (APA): Alkhalili, N. (2017). Between Sumud and Submission: Palestinian Popular Practices on the Land in the Edge Areas of Jerusalem. Lund University. Total number of authors: 1 General rights Unless other specific re-use rights are stated the following general rights apply: Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal Read more about Creative commons licenses: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/ Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. LUND UNIVERSITY PO Box 117 221 00 Lund +46 46-222 00 00 NOURA A LKHALILI Between Sumud and Submission Between Sumud Between and Submission This thesis delves into two ‘edge areas’ located in and around East Sumud Jerusalem. It attempts to unfold and analyze the dynamics in these Palestinian Popular Practices on the Land in the edge areas, while investigating the agency of the people present there through their own perceptions and practices towards the land, and Submission Edge Areas of Jerusalem the urbanization processes, the power circulation and the structural impositions.
    [Show full text]
  • The State of Palestine Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Multilateral Affairs Sector 30 November 2020
    The State of Palestine Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Multilateral Affairs Sector 30 November 2020 RE: Call for input: Report on Anti-Muslim Hatred and Discrimination The State of Palestine is grateful for the opportunity to submit its input on the anticipated report, “Anti-Muslim Hatred and Discrimination”, by the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Dr. Ahmad Shaheed. The State of Palestine is of the view that the past two decades have witnessed a dangerous rise in anti-Muslim discrimination that protruded to every aspect of our lives. Anti-Muslim discrimination policies and practices often go unnoticed. While anti-Muslim discrimination come in all forms and shapes, however, in the State of Palestine, anti-Muslim discrimination comes in the form of Israeli settler-colonialism and illegal and rather prolonged occupation over the Palestinian people, Christians and Muslims alike, that discriminates against them. Israel, the occupying Power, continues to violate its obligations by failing to bring to an end the religious and racial discrimination inherent in the law and practice of the regime of occupation, and entrenching racial and religious superiority. With regard to such discrimination against the Palestinian people, based on grounds of both religion and ethnic/national origin combined, relevant UN special procedures have emphasised that “the identity of many minorities, or even large groups of people, is defined by both racial and religious aspects” and that as a result “many instances of discrimination are aggravated by the effects of multiple identities”.1 The Human Rights Committee has also emphasized that any restrictions on liberty of movement based on distinctions of religion amount to a clear violation of international human rights law.2 1 United Nations, General Assembly Racial discrimination and religious discrimination: identification and measures: Study prepared by A.
    [Show full text]
  • The Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem's Submission
    The Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem’s Submission to the United Nations Human Rights Council’s for Universal Periodic Review of Israel August 2011 Contacts Zakaria Odeh Director The Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem E: [email protected] T: +972 (2)2343930, + 972 (2) 6287677 The Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem is a nongovernmental nonprofit coalition of institutions, societies, associations and individuals with experience and mandate of working in Jerusalem on human rights issues. The Coalition was established in 2005 and currently has a membership of 25 institutions. Our vision: To promote and protect Palestinian rights in Jerusalem and combat Israeli government violations of their human rights. Our mission: To mobilize efforts, capacities and resources to protect the political, civil, economic, social and cultural rights of Palestinians in Jerusalem based on international and human rights law. ISRAEL Civic Coalition for Jerusalem Submission to the UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Of UPR Working Group, Key Words: Jerusalem; Local Outline Plan Jerusalem 2000; Israeli planning system; home demolition; settlements’ cultural, social and political rights; religious freedom In this submission, the Civic Coalition provides information under Section C, Promotion and Protection of Human Rights on the Ground: Implementation of international human rights obligations of the Human Rights Council’s Guidelines for the Preparation of Information under UPR. i Category: Situation in or in relation to specific regions or territories – Jerusalem Topic I: The Jerusalem Master plan Israel’s Local Outline Plan Jerusalem 2000, currently in the process of being approved, promotes expansion of settlements and demolition of Palestinian homes in occupied East Jerusalem contrary to international humanitarian law; and promotes racial segregation and discrimination against Palestinians across East and West Jerusalem contrary to the recommendations of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
    [Show full text]