Israel's 'City of David' Development: Displacing Muslims and Christians, Promoting Exclusionary Narratives, and Hindering Peace
For the past two decades, Israel's government has worked with the settler movement, specifically the City of David Foundation (Elad), to take land in East Jerusalem for the purpose of establishing the Biblical "City of David." This has resulted in the displacement of Muslims and Christians.
The foundation has been given significant freedom by various government departments to create biblically themed national parks around Jerusalem's Old City.
They have also conducted controversial archaeological projects to prove that East Jerusalem is the location of the City of David mentioned in the Hebrew Bible.
According to Israeli lawyer Daniel Seidemann, this is leading to the promotion of a specific, exclusionary, and absolutist biblical narrative in the Old City, which is being physically etched into the landscape through archaeology and park development.
This development is hindering the possibility of a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
An Israeli NGO monitors developments in Jerusalem that may affect political processes or permanent-status options, with a focus on marginalizing Palestinian East Jerusalem and the Christian presence.
The Christian presence is most visible during Holy Week, which began on Palm Sunday and ends on Easter Sunday.
Today is Good Friday, commemorating the crucifixion of Christ at Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, expressed disappointment on Palm Sunday that many people couldn't attend church celebrations due to the ongoing war in Gaza.
The text also reveals details of a long-term plan to "Judaize East Jerusalem" and make the City of David a Jewish neighborhood, as stated by Elad spokesman Yigal Kaufman in 1998.
Last week, Israel's far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, announced the seizure of 800 hectares of occupied Palestinian land in the Jordan Valley, despite condemnation from various international bodies including the European Union and the Arab League's parliament.
This move came as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Tel Aviv for talks on Gaza with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The seizure of Palestinian land is considered illegal under international law.