Yesterday, we spoke with Anat Hoffman, a former Jerusalem city councilor. Though she served in municipal government for fourteen years, she seemed very disillusioned with the city. She said that within the Holy City, she saw the worst of human nature. Of course she had visited the holy sights, she said. She just didn’t find them very holy. Within Jerusalem, religion is used as a divider. Religion brings conflict. Of course, Ms. Hoffman is not cynical about religion as a whole; she herself is a reformed Jew. Yet she said that she found that religion is used by Muslims, Christians, and Jews for unsavory purposes in the Holy City. In fact, she argued that the Biblical Zoo is the shining example of religious pluralism in the city.
Not only is the Holy City not so holy, it also serves as a reminder of the deep divide between Israelis and Palestinians when it comes to both religion and politics.
Ms. Hoffman pointed out to us that on their resident cards, Palestinians’ nationality is listed as “undecided.” This seemed to be a recurring theme within our discussion with her. Not only do Palestinian children face overcrowded schools and high drop-out rates, they also see little hope for their futures. Palestinians have absolutely no representation in municipal government. Even though they are given voting rights, they boycott elections. This makes it difficult for them to receive fair budgetary and land allocations.
Palestinians who refuse to acknowledge Israel as a legitimate state are put in a difficult position. Should they leave their homes or go against their principles and vote? While the answer may seem simple to a Westerner, the issue is quite complicated for an Arab society that so deeply values honor. To whom do they give their allegiance? A state they view as illegitimate? Or a state that as of yet does not exist? Until that decision is made, Palestinians must remain “undecided.”
-Kenzi