What is Not a Stranger by the Palestinian Vision Organization?

“Not a Stranger” is a youth initiative that was executed by the Palestinian Vision Organization.^[1]The initiative came about as part of a wider program funded and supported by Denmark Church Aid (DCA) and the European Union in which Palestinians in Jerusalem are empowered to defend their political, social and economic rights as guaranteed by the International Humanitarian Law.

What is the Purpose of Not a Stranger by the Palestinian Vision Organization?

The initiative aims at educating both tourists and inhabitants of Jerusalem about the history of the city while raising public awareness about historical and influential figures of Jerusalem. The initiative also aims at reinstating the Palestinian Jerusalemite culture and identity, both of which have been long fought by the Israeli policies that deny the Arab character of the city.

About the Initiative:

The initiative is centered around a group of young adult Palestinians who dress up as important historical figures from Jerusalem. The young adults then reenact historical occurrences throughout the city from the Roman, Byzantium, Umayyad, Mamluk, Ottoman, and modern eras of Jerusalemite history. The young adults interact with individuals in different locations of the Old City, such as the Sadeiah neighborhood, the Sultan Tekieh, the Orphanage School, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Hebron Gate and, finally, the Damascus Gate. Audience members watched the reenactments and even took pictures with the group.

What is the Gilo Settlement in Jerusalem?

Gilo is one of the fifteen main Israeli settlements in and around Jerusalem.

This article addresses the settlement’s main characteristics.

Where is the Gilo Settlement in Jerusalem located?

Gilo is located in southwest East Jerusalem.^[1] It lies across a narrow valley next to Bethlehem. ^[2]

Gilo is built on Jordanian lands conquered by Israel after the Six Day War in 1967.^[3]The lands originally belong to the Palestinian village Beit Safafa.^[4]

How Big is the Gilo Settlement?

The conquered land is estimated to be 2700 acre, while the habituated land of Gilo is estimated to be 2743 acre, adding land that did not belong to Beit Safafa.^[5]

What is the population of the Gilo Settlement?

Gilo is inhabited by 40,000 Israeli settlers.^[6]

Is the Gilo Settlement Recognized Internationally as Israeli Land or Illegal?

Israel has annexed Gilo’s land and has made it part of Jerusalem, a step that was never recognized by the international community.^[7]

Administratively, Gilo follows the municipality of Jerusalem.^[8]

Gilo, similar to other Israeli settlements in Palestinian lands, is considered illegal under international law.

Article 49 of the fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in the Time of War states “the occupying power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own population into the territories it occupies.”^[9]Israel, however, does not consider Israeli communities within Jerusalem to be settlements, as they claim it is part of Israel.^[10]

Because of Jerusalem’s cultural, religious and historical significance, the city is often the subject of many works of art and literature. This piece will focus on the book Jerusalem, written by Henry Cattan.^[1]

The Book:

Jerusalem is one of many books written by Henry Cattan on the Palestinian cause. With thirteen chapters and 229 pages, the book was first published in 1981 and examined closely the realities on the ground in Jerusalem. Throughout its many editions, the book tackles a number of issues concerning Jerusalem, especially those of a legal or historical nature. As the book targets the city of Jerusalem, it follows the city’s history through different eras; from the Canaanite times until 1917, through the British Mandate (1917-1948), the first Israeli occupation (1948-1967), and the Israeli annexation of Jerusalem in 1967.
Cattan also addresses the different policies that Jerusalem is subjected to by the Israeli government, such as policies concerning colonization and Judaization. Furthermore, the international legal status, the legality of Israel’s actions therein, and the efforts of the United Nations throughout the modern history of the city are also closely examined and analyzed.
Finally, Cattan emphasizes the obstacles that stand in the way of dissolution of the aforementioned problems.

The Author:

Henry Cattan is an international jurist who was born in Jerusalem in 1906. He practiced law in Palestine and lectured as a professor in Jerusalem Law School. Cattan played a key role in Palestinian history, as he represented Palestinians in the UN in 1947-1948. He also represented the Arab League during talks with Bernadotte, the UN mediator for Palestine at the time.
Cattan was forced into exile upon the Israeli occupation of West Jerusalem in 1948. He first moved to Damascus, then to Beirut and, finally, to Paris where he authored most of his books. Henry Cattan died in Paris in 1992.

Other Books by the Author:

As mentioned above, Cattan authored many books about Jerusalem, Palestine and the Middle East. Here are some of his other works:
1. The Palestine Question
2. The garden of Joys: an anthology of Oriental Anecdotes Fables and Proverbs
3. The Evolution of Oil Concessions in the Middle East and North Africa
4. To Whom does Palestine Belong
5. Palestine, the Arabs and Israel
6. Palestine, the Road to Peace
7. Palestine and International Law
8. The Question of Jerusalem
9. The Solution of Palestine Refugee Problem

After the Israeli occupation of Jerusalem in 1948, and then again in 1967, the production of hand-made goods has been slowed dramatically due to the lack of manpower. Many of the shops that had once existed in Jerusalem either closed, moved to another city or abandoned the entire enterprise because of lack of adequate funding.^[1]Nevertheless, some products remained in the city and shaped its economic and cultural sphere. The Armenian ceramic is one of such products.

The Origins:

Although Palestinians had been using ceramics for centuries,  ^[2] ceramic work had been brought to Jerusalem by Armenians at the beginning of the nineteenth century, at the time of the British Mandate.^[3]The story started in 1919 when the British High Delegate Mr. Stores brought three Armenian families to Jerusalem to renovate the walls of all of the Al-Aqsa Mosques: the Dome of the Rock and Al-Qibli. The families who migrated originally from the city of Kutahya, an Armenian city famous for its ceramic work, liked the city of Jerusalem and decided to stay..^[4]Those families founded a ceramic factory in 1922 and called it “The Dome of the Rock Ceramics”. ^[5]

Currently there are five families who do ceramic work in Jerusalem. Some of them have shops in the Old City to market their products to tourists and visitors.^[6]

Process

The ceramic piece is formed in a specific shape, whether it be a dish, bowl or cup. Then the piece is baked in a special over at a high temperature. Finally, it is painted.^[7] A piece needs ten days to be completed.^[8]

^{Jerusalem’s ceramic work and style departed from the traditional Turkish style of geometric forms and plants. Mirroring the Palestinian landscape and environment, the new ceramic work often depicted animals as well.[9]} Armenian families kept the traditional Armenian style of flowers that symbolizes eternal life.^[10]

Use:

Ceramic pieces have been used for thousands of years, whether it was to create dishes and furniture or to decorate religious centers. Ceramic work has long narrated the stories of nations and different cultures.^[11] Similarly, Jerusalem’s ceramic preserves Palestinian identity and traditions.
Currently, ceramic products are being sold in gift shops in the Old City of Jerusalem. Tourists are not the only ones who purchase the ceramics, however. Many local organizations, restaurants and community centers purchase these products to uphold Palestinian culture .^[12]

Economically

There are 25 ceramic factories that employ a total of 100 people. Of the products, 30% are marketed locally, 30% are marketed in Occupied Palestine 1948, 20% are exported to the Arab world, while the remaining 20% are exported to the US and Europe.^[13]

Challenges

Hand-made ceramic is costly and takes a great deal of time to make. This exposed the Armenian market of ceramics to fierce competition from lower quality and lower priced Turkish and Chinese ceramics. Because of the cheaper products, many of the shops in the Old City prefer the Turkish or Chinese pieces.^[14] 

The Armenian ceramics also face fierce competition from the Israeli market and from factory-made glass, which costs less to make more.^[15]Nevertheless, some tourists would still pay more for a unique hand-made ceramic that symbolizes Jerusalem and narrates its sacred and cultural story.

What is the Qibli Mosque/Jami’ Al-Qibli الجامع القبلي? What is the significance of Al-Qibli Mosque?

Al-Qibli Mosque is one of the mosques within Al-Aqsa.   It is often mistakenly referred to as Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Al-Aqsa, as mentioned in the Holy Quran, refers to the entire plaza in Jerusalem with its mosques, arenas, gates, fountains, minarets and many other religious and historic landmarks. The plaza is a total of 144 acre, and makes up the Holy Haram “Al-Haram Al-Sharief.”.^[1]

Al-Qibli mosque is considered the main mosque in the Aqsa plaza due to its role in the Friday prayers, as it is where the Imam stands to lead Muslim worshipers in prayer. ^[2]

This article is designed to address the mosque’s history, among other subjects.

Where is the Qibli Mosque?

Al-Qibli Mosque, is located to the south of the Dome of the Rock or Al Aqsa Mosque.

Why is it called Al-Qibli Mosque?

Al-Qibli mosque in relation to Al-Aqsa is located towards the Qiblah, the direction pointing towards the Ka’abah which is the direction of prayer.

History

Who built Al-Qibli Mosque? When was the Qibli mosque built?

The construction of the original mosque dates back to Omar Bin Al-Khattab caliphate, who was the second caliph of Muslims, visit to Jerusalem during the early Islamic Era.

Though the Umayyad ruler Muawiya Bin Abi Sufyan expanded the original building, the mosque as it is known today is largely attributed to Abd Al-Malik Bin Marwan who initially planned its establishment, along with that of the Dome of the Rock. His son Al-Waleed, then finished its construction around 714.
^[3]

Though the sum of the area of the mosque was once 15 arcana, the mosque as it stands today is nearly half of that size. Many major earthquakes had destroyed much of the original mosque, and, to make mosque more durable for possible future earthquakes, it was rebuilt to be half the size of the original structure.^[4]

The mosque was also changed during the time of the Crusaders as it was divided it into three parts; a church, a dwelling for the Templars and a palace for the Crusader kings. This continued until 1187 when Saladin captured Jerusalem and renovated the mosque, restoring most of its original shape.,^[5]

Renovations

The mosque was renovated many times throughout almost every era of Jerusalemite history. The Umayyad, who originally built the mosque, renovated it after an earthquake in 747, while the Abbasid rulers also renovated the mosque and added to it. Similarly did the Fatimid, Ayyubid, Mamluk, Ottoman rulers, British Mandate, Jordanian government and the Supreme Islamic Council.^[6]

Description

How big is Jami’ Al-Qibli?

The current mosque is comprised of seven arcana with a length of 80 meters and a width of 55 meters. It lies on an area that is four acres in area, and, on any given day, it can hold up to 5500 worshipers. The mosque is accessible through eleven gates.,^[7]

Architecture and Construction of Al-Qibli Mosque

The mosque has a dome that is wooden from the inside and a lead from the outside and it stands on four columns and decorated from the inside with glass mosaic in the form of plants, Quranic texts, and geometric forms.^[8]

Nour Al-Din Zengi’s Minbar/Tribune

The mosque had one special feature, which was Nour Al-Din Zengi’s minbar/tribune built during 1168 in Damascus in preparation for liberating Jerusalem from the Crusaders.  Nour Al-Din died before witnessing it inside the mosque and his successor Saladin brought the tribune to the mosque in 1187 after recapturing Jerusalem from the Crusaders. The tribune remained in the mosque until 1969 when an Israeli terrorist called Michael Rohan set the mosque in the fire which led to destroying most of the mosque including the historic tribune. Later on, the government of Jordan ordered the making of an identical tribune and fixed it in 2007, the new tribune still stands in the mosque until this day, while the remains of the original one are kept in the Islamic museum in Jerusalem ^[9]

Attacks

The Qibli Mosque, similar to other parts of Al-Aqsa Plaza, has been the target of many Israeli attacks. The mosque’s structure is compromised as gunfire leaves much of the walls and the dome damaged. Israeli soldiers and settlers alike also enter the mosque and destroy the chairs, books and more, in an attempt to destroy the mosque further. Other attacks are even more dangerous, though they are less direct and more discreet as they weaken the foundation of the mosque and can cause it to collapse, such as the excavations that run under the mosque base along the southern wall of the plaza and the refusal to renovate the building by the Israeli authorities.^[10]

Background

 

Upon occupying East Jerusalem in 1967, Israel sought to validate its existence in the city and cover the legal gap therein through the passage of a number of laws and decrees. The Israeli government then convened under the chairmanship of Levi Eshkol, who was the third Israeli Prime Minister, in June 11, 1967 to decide on the future of the city. The session resulted in the decision to annex East Jerusalem into Israel. The Israeli government then entrusted a ministerial committee with the task of drafting a solution to the administrative and judicial vacuum that had been created because of the decision. The governmental agencies were also tasked with dealing with the complexity that arose from the annexation, as the move spurred rejection and condemnation from the international community
.^[1] On June 21, 1967 the committee introduced three draft laws to be discussed and endorsed by the Knesset four days later. The Knesset subsequently discussed and voted on the three drafts within three and a half hours. One of the aforementioned drafts was the Law and Administration Ordinance Amendment No. 11 of 1967. This article addresses this law and its effect on the City of Jerusalem. ^[2]

Contents

The Law and Administration Ordinance Amendment No. 11 of 1967 is comprised of two articles. The first established the application of the Israeli administrative and judicial decisions to all areas of “Israeli land,” which were to be officially declared via a decree. The second article announced the date of the Knesset vote, June 25, 1967, as the official date in which the law was to be applied.^[3]

Although the ordinance itself did not mention the terms “Jerusalem” and “annexation,” the focus on Jerusalem was evident through the issue of legislative decree No. 1 by the Israeli government. Issued on June 28, 1967, the decree listed the areas where Israeli law would be applied, which included the boundaries of East Jerusalem and its surroundings, including the areas Sur Baher, Um Toba, Western Sawahrah, the Old City, Al-Jouz Valley, Sheikh Jarrah, Mesrarah, Issaweiah, Shuafat and Beit Hanina, which all were Palestinian Territories.^[4]

Aim and Application

The ordinance had many goals to achieve. As mentioned prior, Israel sought to legitimize the annexation and to appease the international community by attempting to legalize the action through legislation . The ordinance, however, also aimed at changing Jerusalem’s legal status in addition to changing its geography, administration, demography and economy. ^[5]

The goals of the ordinance started to emerge to the public after the Israeli Defense Force issued an order to dissolve the Arab Secretariat Council, which was elected by Jerusalemites and was responsible for East Jerusalem’s administration under the Jordanian rule from 1948-1967. The army also fired Jerusalem’s Mayor Rohi Al-Khatib from his work. The Israeli forces also took over Jordanian offices, departments, records, courts, and municipality headquarters in the city, in addition to canceling their laws and regulations and replacing them with Israeli ones. .^[6]

Current Boundaries

The law set the boundaries of the Jerusalem Municipality which extended from Qalandia Airport in the north, Beit Hanina in the west, Sur Baher and Beit Safafa in the south and Al-Tour, Ezareiah, and Anata in the east.^[7]

As a result of the changes, 100,000 Palestinians in 72,000 Acres were under direct control of Israel within one expanded Jerusalem.^[8] These individuals were termed residents of Jerusalem, yet they are not citizens of Israel, which essentially means Palestinians in the annexed areas have residency duties without citizenship rights.
^[9]

^{Effects of the Ordinance:}

^{The ordinance affected the reality of the city of Jerusalem in four main ways:[10]}

1. Jerusalem’s area was expanded from 1326.956 acres to 26687.381 acres through the annexation of villages and towns around the city;
2. Created an Arab minority in the city by annexing low populated areas while keeping most of the Palestinians out of the boundaries of the city;
3. Increased the safety of Jerusalem for Israelis from any tension with Palestinians by including surrounding mountains as natural safeguard;
4. Separated Jerusalem from the West Bank and Gaza Strip economically, administratively and geographically in order to easily control the city.

United Nations Reaction

Upon the annexation of East Jerusalem, the United Nations issued many resolutions declaring Israeli measures in Jerusalem void and null and calling upon Israel to rescind all measures that would change Jerusalem’s legal status. Resolution 252 of May 21, 1967 considered Israel’s annexation of the city illegal, while the General Assembly and the Security Council added many other resolutions in July 1967 just after the adoption of the ordinance. These resolutions were applied to the situation in Jerusalem. Resolution 2253 of the General Assembly and Resolutions A6753 and S8052 of 1967 addressed the Israeli measures to change the status of the city of Jerusalem declaring the illegality and nullity of such measures..^[11]

For many centuries, Jerusalem had been internationally recognized for its contributions to literature and art. Arabs, who were diversified in terms of religious orientation, used Jerusalem in their creative work, presenting the city in different frames and through different lenses, such as historical, political, social, national, and religious ones. This article is dedicated to reveal the religious dimension in the Arabic poetry about Jerusalem.

Religious Status of a Lost City

It is typical for poets to use lost cities, either destroyed or occupied, as a tool to express the emotion of longing. This is the case for the cities of Andalusia, Granada and Cordoba. However, a city with a religious affiliation, like Jerusalem, appears different in both modern and historical poetry. Such a religious status leads poets to use a more present and future tense rather than past tense when describing the city. This reveals hope and aspiration, in addition to longing and sorrow.^[1] The religious dimension in the poems concerning Jerusalem appear in different levels and trends. Some of which are simple and obvious, while others need more interpretation and meditation. Poets usually use more than one theme in the same poem. For example they may use resistance as a sacred function while still deploying religious terms, events and figures to introduce Jerusalem as a spiritual center. ^[2]

Isra’a and Miraj

One of the main components of the religious dimension in poetry is the use of the night journey made by the Islamic Prophet Mohammad. The journey has been used by many poets to connect Jerusalem with the message of Islam and stress its sacred status for Arabs and Muslims. The Palestinian poet Abdul Rahman Barghouthi in his poem “The Journey” uses Al-Isra’a event to emphasize the connection between Jerusalem and Mecca and its holy status in Islam as he says:

To whom should the hearts express their loyalty?
To Al-Aqsa no wonder
Where the first of the two Qiblas
Where cities became united
And where Jerusalem is connected to the land of Hira’a (Mecca) .^[3]

Other poets used Jerusalem in their work to illuminate the theme of leadership. In the aforementioned store, for example, Prophet Mohammad led all other prophets and messengers to prayer in Jerusalem.^{[4] Poets point to the Israeli oppression and compare it with the oppression the prophet faced from the Quraish tribe. In his poem “Back to Skies” the Saudi poet Jasem Al-Sehaieh says:
Again
Al-Aqsa opens a door to sky
Where people race to God
Turning Jerusalem into pure longing
… (Palestine) This bereaved free land
Gives birth to prophets
Everything in Palestine is a prophet
There is no more Jerusalem
It is currently praying in the sky[5]}

A group of poets also used the story of the Al-Israa journey to urge resistance and to praise Palestinians who revolt against oppression. The Palestinian poet Shihab Mohammad uses religious terms and thoughts inspired by the Hadiths of Prophet Mohammad saying:
The ones who are on the covenants
Did not leave a promise
Nor did they renounce a covenant
The holy house, Al-Israa and Al-Miraj
Are debts they have to meet.^[6]

^{Occupation and Absence of Worshippers in the Jerusalem}

^{Another component of the religious dimension here is the sorrow over the absence of worshippers in Jerusalem due to the occupation restrictions. In his poem “Inspired by the Defeat”, the Syrian Badawi Al-Jabal says:
Did Aden know that Al-Aqsa is abandoned?
Where is Jerusalem, where is the city of Jesus and the station of AL-Buraq
No Quran is being recited… Muslims and Christians are prisoners alike
What a shame for Islam when Jerusalem is being looted…
Our lives have no glory, glory does not last long.[7]}

The Palestinian poet Abdel Rahim Mahmoud addresses Prince Saud, warning him of the danger of the loss of Jerusalem saying, “oh prince, in front of you is a poet who suffers deep pain, did you come to visit Al-Aqsa or did you come to say goodbye before we lose it.”^[8]

Hope and Unity

The religious dimension also has a trend of hope and unity within it. Poets used Jerusalem and its religious status to express their hopes to achieve unity among Arabs as to defeat the Israeli occupation in the city, the same way Islam united Arabs and allowed them to defeat their enemies in the past. The Egyptian poet Ahmed Abdel Moaty Hegazy in his poem “Beautiful Elegy Age” states:
Mohammad was above the minarets
Illuminates my way
And reconciles the horses of the Franks
Turning them into a green tree in the hills^[9]

Jesus in Jerusalem

Arab and Palestinian poets also referred to Jesus as a Jerusalemite who had strong connections with the city. Jesus was used to reveal many themes such as injustice and betrayal. The Palestinian poet Fadwa Toqan in her poem “To Jesus on his Birthday” connects Jesus’ pain with that of Jerusalem by saying:
Oh Master, glory of universe
In your birthday this year
Jerusalem’s happiness is crucified
In your birthday
All bells are silenced
From a 1000 years they were not silenced
This year they are.^[10]

The connection between Muslim and Christian Palestinians in Jerusalem was also introduced in poetry. The Palestinian poet Samia Al-Khalili in her poem “The Shoe of Aysha” says:
I called
I shouted
I remained the echo
Hanging in a bell of a church
And a crescent of a minaret
The dust eats me to help Jerusalem.^[11]

Jerusalem has also been used in a historical context, and poetry often merged the notions of history and religion to create art. That merger will be discussed in a future article.

Jerusalem has been a center for religious education due to the religious status it holds. Successive Islamic eras, starting with the early Umayyad and ending with the late Ottoman, established educational institutions in Jerusalem. In the late Middle Ages, religious schools in Jerusalem and in other Islamic capitals and central provinces, adopted the positions of mosques and played a key role in shaping the cultural and scientific component therein.^[1]

Jerusalem once had 50 religious schools that offered higher education in different subjects. ^[2] Al-Aqsa Plaza has fifteen religious schools on its own, most of which were established during the Ayubid and Mamluk eras.^[3] One of the most famous religious schools in Jerusalem is the Salahi School (Al-Salaheiah). This school was established in 1187 after Saladin liberated Jerusalem from the Crusaders and existed as a school up until 1917, when the United Kingdom put Palestine under the mandate.^[4] Many schools were either destroyed or changed function, while few others remain open to this very day. This article addresses the history, evolution and functions of such schools.

History and Evolution

Many of the religious schools Jerusalem had or still has were established by Sultans, religious figures and scientists. Such schools were not limited to men, as they were open to women as well, and individuals were able to acquire their education at these institutions. Women were not only educated at the schools; they also helped establish them. A number of the most famous schools in Jerusalem were actually built by rich women, such as the Ottoman School which was built by Asfahan Shah Khatoon and the Khatoni School which was built by Anml Khatoon, daughter of Shams Al-Din Al-Baghdadi.^[5]

At the beginning, religious schools were dedicated to teaching Islamic Studies, such as the Quran, Hadith, and Islamic jurisprudence.^{[6] Later on, however, religious schools started teaching many other specializations, especially in the field of science, introducing classes such as math, space and medicine. [7]} Scientists and thinkers from all over the Islamic world came to teach or to get higher education in those schools, and many books were written on religion, geography, history and science.^[8]

At the time of the Mamluks, a radical change happened to the religious schools system in Jerusalem. Not only did the number of religious schools in existence increase rapidly, they became more sophisticated, modern and well organized. Mamluk sultans and princes built many religious schools and endowed them lands, baths, markets, and buildings to serve and provide for students and residents.^[9]

In addition to this, Mamluks imposed complex administrative regulations on schools in terms of expenses, hiring requirements, staff training and functions, rights and responsibilities of faculty, graduation requirements, and courses taught in the schools.^[10]

Sufi Religious Schools

Different sects established their own religious schools. More particularly, Sufis had, and still have, a number of distinctive religious schools in Jerusalem where Sufism is being taught.^[11] Sufis indeed had the most diverse religious schools in Jerusalem. A Nook (Zaweiah) is one type of Sufi school that was revived at the time of Mamluks. The most famous nook schools are Al-Qadreiah, Al-Majeedeiah, and the Indian Nooks in the Old City of Jerusalem.^[12]

Sufis also had another type of religious schools in Jerusalem; the Ribat Schools. Such schools were used to educate Sufis and host visitors, poor people and non-residents of Jerusalem. The most famous Ribat schools in Jerusalem were Al-Basiri, Al-Mansouri, and the Kurdish, all of which were turned into residential homes for Arab families in the city. One Ribat school, Bayram Shawish, was turned into the Islamic orphanage in Jerusalem.^[13]

Lastly, Sufis had a type of religious schools called Khanqah in Persian or Takeiah in Turkish. This type of school was revived under Ottoman rule. The most famous of is the Daoudria School.^[14] 

Current Status

Religious schools in Jerusalem are not a mere historical mark, rather they are a distinctive cultural one. Many modern religious schools have been established recently in Jerusalem, while other more ancient and historical ones were turned into residential homes for Jerusalemite families.^[15] Many of the historical schools were also turned into religious institutions and centers for Islamic Endowment Department. Some of the schools were destroyed over the years, however, some of the schools that are still in operation in Jerusalem such as the Omari, Al-Qadesiah, Al-Tenkiziah, Al-Afdaleiah, and Al-Fakhreiah Schools.^[16]

Pictures:

1. Al-Isa’ardi School in Jerusalem at https://www.aljazeera.net/encyclopedia/citiesandregions/2016/3/8/مدارس-المسجد-الأقصى
2. Salahi School at https://www.turkpress.co/node/11953

The Western Wall, which is 488 meters (1600 feet) long and 56 meters (184 feet) high, ends at the Al-Mughrabi Gate and has played a key role in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict over Jerusalem.^[1] While Muslims believe the wall is part of Al-Aqsa Plaza, ^[2]Israelis believe it is part of the Second Temple and, thus, the holiest place on earth for the Jewish population, subsequently making it the place they pray three times a day .^[3]

History and Names
Because Muslims believe part of that wall.^{[4]was used by the Islamic Prophet Mohammad to tie Al-Buraq, his animal, down while he accompanied Gabriel on the journey of Al-Israa and Al-Miraj, it is commonly referred to as the Al-Buraq Wall.[5]} On the other hand, Israelis believe that the wall is part of their Second Temple.^[6] built by Herod 18 B.C. and destroyed by Titus 70 A.D. whenever they pray next to the wall they cry and therefore call it the Wailing Wall.^[7]However, in 2011, archeological excavations in line with the Western Wall and near the drainage system of the Old City uncovered an ancient ritual bath that was built after the Herodian era, which casts doubts on the historical origins of the wall.^[8]

Al-Buraq Riots

Jews did not consider the wall to be part of the temple until after Balfour Declaration in 1917, and they started demanding that they be given ownership of the wall. Early clashes between Arabs and Jews sparked in 1928 over this issue. Great Britain, the Mandatory authority at the time, issued a report called the White Book in which it confessed that the wall belonged entirely to Arabs.^[9] This, however, led to other more violent clashes between the two sides that ended up in what was known as “Al-Buraq Revolution” on the 23rd of August 1929. The clashes resulted in dozens of deaths on both sides and more than a 1000 people were tried in British Mandatory Courts. Of those tired, 26 were sentenced to death, but only three of them were actually executed.^[10]

Following these clashes, the League of Nations formed an international committee under the presidency of the Swedish Minister of Exterior, Lil Lovegren. The committee studied documents and listened to witnesses and, in 1930, introduced its report to the League of Nations, which concluded that the wall belonged entirely to Arab Muslims as part of the Islamic endowment, along with the Moroccan neighborhood in front of it.^[11]

Judization Policy

The wall and the area around it were subject to extensive Judization policies. This started with taking over the wall itself and extended to demolishing the Mughrabi (Moroccan) neighborhood in front of it. In June 1967, the site was captured by Israel after the Six Day War. Israel destroyed the Moroccan neighborhood displacing more than 100 Arab families.^[12] The neighborhood that was dubbed Moroccan due to the historic presence of Moroccans, was an Islamic endowment that dates back to Saladin era in the eleventh century,^[13]was completely destroyed in an operation that lasted three days and left a number of Palestinians killed as they refused to evacuate. The ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in the Buraq Arena did not stop there; Israel continued demolishing homes in the nearby Abu Al-Saoud neighborhood until July 2007, when the last house in the Buraq Arena was demolished.^[14]

In trying to change the wall’s Arab character into a Jewish one, Israel has established religious centers and museums in the area.^[15]It also has dug many tunnels near the wall, the most famous of which is the tunnel that extends along the wall with a length of 488 meters and ends in Al-Aqsa Plaza..^[16]The tunnel connects with an ancient Roman tunnel that is 80 meters long and has its entrance next to the wall.^[17]

International Confession of the Arab Ownership

In addition to the many reports that date back to the last century, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) issued a resolution concerning the Western Wall in which it stressed the Arab character and ownership of the wall and the area around it as a part of the Islamic endowment.^[18]

History and Location

Cotton Merchants’ Market, known in Arabic as Souq Al-Qattanin, is located within the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. It starts with the Valley Road, one of the main streets in the Old City, and leads directly to the Aqsa Plaza.^[1]

The market was built in different historical eras, as some archeological excavations show that it was active in the Crusaders’ era, while others show that the market was built in the Islamic Mamluk era. Some excavations even date it back to the Fatimid period in Jerusalem. ^[2]It is believed, therefore, that the market in its current shape dates back to 1329, when Damascus Prince Tankiz Nasser ordered for its establishment during the reign of Mamluk Sultan Mohammed bin Qalawun. .^[3]

Architecture

The market, which looks similar to Damascus markets, is considered the most beautiful market in Jerusalem. The construction of it took 7 years and resulted in an architectural masterpiece. Its eastern entrance is one of Al-Aqsa Gates with a height of 6 meters and unique decoration.^[4]Creswell, Islamic architecture expert, considers it the most beautiful market in the Levant.^[5]

With a length of 95 meters,^[6]the market has between 50 to 60 shops. Each shop has a second floor which was used to house religious figures in the city. Currently, the rooms are owned by the Islamic Endowment in the city and manned by Jerusalemite families.^[7]

In the fifteenth century, an earthquake destroyed the upper level of some of the market and. as a result, that area has not been used since .^[8]

^{Origins of the Name}

^{The current name of the market, the Cotton Merchants’ Market, was used during the Ottoman Empire era. The name is derived from the famous Egyptian cotton that was manufactured in its shops and then exported worldwide.[9]} Currently, the market is known for the sales of diverse products, with a focus on souvenirs for tourists and visitors.^[10]

The market is also called the Dark Market (Souq Al-Atem) due to its weak lighting, as sunlight can only enter from six openings in the ceiling.^[11]

Famous Landmarks

The market has, in addition to its shops and rooms, a motel and two famous baths: Al-Shifaa, and Al-Ain.^[12] The motel was used to host merchants coming from Egypt and Syria in the olden days. Currently, it hosts the Center for Jerusalem Studies associated with Jerusalem University.^[13]The two baths, on the other hand, played a key role in the Jerusalemite history and traditions, where the Arab grooms used to be celebrated before the revelers head to Al-Aqsa Mosque to pray .^[14] Unfortunately, both baths are currently closed. ^[15]

Israeli Policy

Israeli forces in Jerusalem have caused the market to recess due to its policies. In addition to the permanent blockade in the middle of the market where the Israeli forces do not allow tourists and visitors to go beyond, Israeli police often block the eastern entrance of the market, which is also a gate of Al-Aqsa, causing worshippers to use other entrances, avoiding the market in the process.^[16] This happens regularly on a monthly basis when settlers march to Al-Aqsa to pray and use the gate which they call “the Temple Gate” to enter. During these times, Israeli police forces mandate that the merchants close their shops.^[17] Sometimes, however, these occurrences are unscheduled and unplanned and occur often on an irregular basis. As a result, there is great economic disparity, as some merchants make no more than $1.13 a day .^[18]

^{Permanently, Jewish settlers have taken over two of the upper rooms of the market from the northern side and many Palestinian houses next to the market from the southern side.[19]} To hasten the cleansing of merchants from the city, harsh taxes and fees are imposed upon the merchants that remain in the marketplace.^[20]