Economic Life in Jerusalem under Israeli Occupation (1948 - 1990)

Abstract

This study aims to shed light on the economic conditions in Jerusalem, focusing on the circumstances of Palestinian residents and the pressures they face from Israel. These pressures include the confiscation of lands and the creation of laws by the Israeli government to justify and legitimize these actions. The study also highlights the resilience of Jerusalemites in clinging to their lands and properties despite the Israeli government’s tactics and efforts to Judaize the city. The study employs an analytical historical research methodology, gathering relevant sources and references such as Aref al-Aref’s History of Jerusalem, Samir Jiriss’ Jerusalem: Zionist Plans, Occupation, and Judaization, and Kate Maguire’s Judaizing Jerusalem: Israeli Steps to Seize Jerusalem, among others listed in the bibliography at the end of this research. These sources were then analyzed using a historical and scientific approach. This research affirms the legitimate and existential right of Jerusalemites to their properties, whether land or real estate, and their steadfastness in the face of Israeli challenges, including land and property confiscations, increased and diversified taxes, and arbitrary tax collection methods. It also highlights their resistance to the Judaization efforts undertaken by the Israeli government in Jerusalem. Since the Israeli occupation, Jerusalem has suffered from demographic and existential pressures on its Palestinian residents. Despite the relative resilience of Jerusalemites in the face of these pressures, the city has been subjected to continuous land confiscation and Judaization due to the expansion of Israeli settlements, both in the city center and its neighborhoods. Nevertheless, Jerusalem and its inhabitants remain a major center of Palestinian, Arab, and international resistance. The role of Arab and international aid in supporting Jerusalemites to hold onto their land and properties cannot be overlooked.