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

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Overview

Al-Quds: The Educational Pictorial Atlas by Dr. Hassan Ali Mustafa Khater is the first volume of a whole project that addresses Jerusalem landmarks in an illustrated and documented method.

The 362 page book was first published in 2013 by International Jerusalem Center for Media, International Studies and Documentation. Two other editions were published later in 2014 and 2015.

Author

Dr. Hassan Ali Mustafa Khater is the head of the Jerusalem International Center, and Islamic-Christian Organization to Defend Jerusalem and the Holy Places.

Khater is a holder of PhD in Social Science, and works as a professor in a number of Palestinian Universities. He has several researches, studies, and books that deal with Jerusalem and Arab and Palestinian causes. He has participated in many conferences, lectures, events, and television programs on Jerusalem.

Subject

The book deals with the features of Al-Aqsa Plaza. Everything within the walls is addressed historically, geographically, religiously, and architecturally.

A detailed description of mosques, arcatures, terraces, gates, minarets, porticos, and fountains within the plaza, their history, dimensions, and importance are presented with pictures and illustrations.

Related subjects such as the meaning of Al-Aqsa and its landmarks, its status, virtues, and significance were also included in the book.

Language

The book was written in two languages, Arabic and English. Each subject was addressed in opposite pages, one in Arabic and the other in English.

Method

The author adopted the scientific field method where he provided pictures, illustrations, and accurate measurements to document Al-Aqsa landmarks. He also followed the literary method by providing Quranic verses, as well as Prophetic and historical narrations on Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa.

Aim

The author clarifies at the beginning of his book that this is the start of a comprehensive research project that aims at documenting Jerusalem’s landmarks and its architectural details, which will contribute to protecting the cultural components and identity of Jerusalem from distortion, obliteration, and vandalism by the Israeli occupation.