Ma’ale Adumim
The Citizens Proposal has deliberately pushed the borders of Jerusalem to the doors of Ma’ale Adumim to force a meaningful solution for that community. Yet we have held back from including it territorially within the State of Israel, because to do so would in effect divide the West Bank in half. We believe that Palestine must have contiguity north and south such that effective transportation links, highways and trains running between Ramallah and Bethlehem to Hebron can be constructed. Palestine should not be encumbered with a narrow neck of land at its mid-section, any more than Israel.
At present in 2011, the extent of the Ma’ale Adumim bloc is large, and growth within it is limited and controlled. Without an effective and timely resolution, this enclave or would-be enclave could easily become a full extension of Israel. This is neither right nor wrong. But one thing is clear: morally the growth and/or disposition of Ma’ale Adumim should be managed by mutual agreement between the two peoples. It is our position that if Palestinians do not support the community to expand, then that must be respected.
That said, we would not attempt to define for Israel or Palestine what “respect” means in this case. Rather, we would insist that they work for mutual understanding. The world is full of enemies who have become friends as well as friends who later became enemies. People can only do their best, and our observation in 2011 is that representatives of both Palestine and Israel are attempting to do their best. We believe that when Palestinians and Israelis resolve the issue of access for Ma’ale Adumim and consider the needs of those who live there, all things will fall into place for Arab East Jerusalem because respect will have been demonstrated.
Palestine can offer respect to the Jewish residents of Ma’ale Adumim by maintaining their access to Jerusalem and by enacting special laws to protect their rights to own, buy and sell property to whomever they wish, whether Jew or Arab. We anticipate that many of Ma’ale Adumim’s 30,000-plus Jewish residents will continue to live there with these legal protections, even as they are offered Palestinian citizenship and may take dual citizenship. We believe that Palestine will respect the rights of the residents of Ma’ale Adumim to their cultural and religious traditions. We expect that those Palestinians who might purchase property in Ma’ale Adumim will live in peace with their Jewish neighbors, and those Jews who live in Ma’ale Adumim will live in peace with Arabs who might move into their neighborhoods. There should be no restrictions on who can purchase property and live in this zone. Palestine may even choose to offer respect by granting the residents of Ma’ale Adumim self-government as an autonomous zone within Palestine.
At present in 2011, the extent of the Ma’ale Adumim bloc is large, and growth within it is limited and controlled. Without an effective and timely resolution, this enclave or would-be enclave could easily become a full extension of Israel. This is neither right nor wrong. But one thing is clear: morally the growth and/or disposition of Ma’ale Adumim should be managed by mutual agreement between the two peoples. It is our position that if Palestinians do not support the community to expand, then that must be respected.
That said, we would not attempt to define for Israel or Palestine what “respect” means in this case. Rather, we would insist that they work for mutual understanding. The world is full of enemies who have become friends as well as friends who later became enemies. People can only do their best, and our observation in 2011 is that representatives of both Palestine and Israel are attempting to do their best. We believe that when Palestinians and Israelis resolve the issue of access for Ma’ale Adumim and consider the needs of those who live there, all things will fall into place for Arab East Jerusalem because respect will have been demonstrated.
Palestine can offer respect to the Jewish residents of Ma’ale Adumim by maintaining their access to Jerusalem and by enacting special laws to protect their rights to own, buy and sell property to whomever they wish, whether Jew or Arab. We anticipate that many of Ma’ale Adumim’s 30,000-plus Jewish residents will continue to live there with these legal protections, even as they are offered Palestinian citizenship and may take dual citizenship. We believe that Palestine will respect the rights of the residents of Ma’ale Adumim to their cultural and religious traditions. We expect that those Palestinians who might purchase property in Ma’ale Adumim will live in peace with their Jewish neighbors, and those Jews who live in Ma’ale Adumim will live in peace with Arabs who might move into their neighborhoods. There should be no restrictions on who can purchase property and live in this zone. Palestine may even choose to offer respect by granting the residents of Ma’ale Adumim self-government as an autonomous zone within Palestine.
The "Hinge of Jerusalem"
The “hinge of Jerusalem” is
all about access, particularly Jewish access to and from Ma’ale Adumim.
Its purpose is to allow for and help the negotiating parties to take
ample consideration of Ma’ale Adumim’s unique status and requirements.
It is called a “hinge” because it is where four lines converge: 1) the
proposed border; 2) the separation wall; 3) the boundary of the Ma’ale
Adumim zone where residents will have special property rights; and 4)
the line of demarcation that was drawn at the beginning of our process
of developing this proposal.
If, through negotiations, Eizariya or other areas shaded yellow become part of Palestine, the hinge will have to move to an alternate access point.
If, through negotiations, Eizariya or other areas shaded yellow become part of Palestine, the hinge will have to move to an alternate access point.
