Sheikh Jarrah’s Evolving Story

By Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D

JERUSALEM — Sheikh Jarrah is a neighborhood in East Jerusalem, north of the Old City, about half the way to French Hill. It’s currently in the headlines, reflecting a difficult history that’s bubbled to the top of things along with the Abraham Accords and other moves that signal Israel’s acceptance throughout much of the Muslim world.

Sheikh Jarrah’s story began during the Ottoman Empire, with the sale of land in 1876 which included Jewish holy places, to two Jewish entities: one Sephardi and other Ashkenazi. The area sold to the Sephardim became the site for the construction of housing, where Jews would acquire homes outside of the congestion in the Walled City of Jerusalem.

In 1947 there were about 100 Jewish families living in the neighborhood. With Israel’s independence, and the 1948 war, the area came under the control of the Jordanians.

The 1948 war produced thousands of movements: of Jews from the Old City, Sheikh Jarrah, and other parts of East Jerusalem controlled by Jordan, and of Arabs from cities and towns throughout what became Israel. In place of the Jews who left Sheikh Jarrah and the Old City, Jordan settled Palestinians who had left, or been ousted from Haifa and Jaffa.

There have been contrasting claims by Arabs and Jews as to who bought the land from Ottoman officials, with each claiming that the documents produced by the other were forgeries. Cases heard by Israeli courts produced evictions of Arabs in 2002, 2008, and 2017. Israeli officials offered a compromise, by which Palestinian residents would be allowed to remain in the housing until the end of their lives, but this was rejected by the Palestinians.

The issue remains contentious, with Palestinians overlooking the results of the Independence War of 1948 and the Six Day war of 1967. International and some local organizations, plus individuals express the view that there should be an equivalence of Jewish and Arab interests, and that Jews should not be able to evict Arabs from what had been Jewish homes, just as Arabs should not be able to return to their pre-1948 homes. But if Jews can be returned to earlier homes, so should Palestinians be allowed to return to homes which had been turned over to Jews in West Jerusalem, Jaffa, Haifa, and elsewhere. But Israel emerged in control after 1948 and 1967, and its laws and courts have decided what’ll be.

It ain’t neat. It may not seem fair to one or another perspective, but…

Recently there’s been a wave of violence and provocation. Jews against Arabs; Arabs against Jews. Jews wanting to expand their control of lands occupied by Arabs in the Land of Israel have the support of some politicians, most notably Knesset Member Itamar Ben Gvir, operating in the spirit of Meir Kahane, who has moved his office into Sheikh Jarrah, and has had his head bloodied in confrontations with Arabs and the Israeli Police.

The Jerusalem Post has an article about one young couple living in Sheikh Jarrah. His family came to Israel from Uzbekistan, and hers from Tunis. He mentions friendly relations with some Arabs, provided that their conversations are kept private and not open to other neighbors.. The couple’s house was destroyed by a fire bomb, fortunately when they were away with their two small children. Their cars have been destroyed several times. But he’s persistent. Jews should be allowed to live throughout Jerusalem.

Whatever comes from the conflict over Sheikh Jarrah should be viewed in the context of wider events. They include Israel’s formal opening of relations with Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco. There have been linkages, but not full relations with Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, as well as other Muslim countries.

In a touching move, President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi crossed a crowded hall to greet Israel Energy Minister Karine Elharrar, sitting in her wheelchair due to multiple sclerosis. He welcomed her and urged her to visit Egypt again. In the past, Elharrar was denied entry to a U.N. conference due to the facility’s inability to accept her wheelchair.

Despite the warming of relations with a number of Muslim governments, Palestinians of Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza have sought to heighten animosity toward Jewish residents in Sheikh Jarrah, aided by the efforts of Ben Gvir and others to promote the entry of Jews into properties that had once been owned by Jews. Efforts to produce another round of violence involving the Palestinian Authority of the West Bank and Gaza have been resisted so far, in part by West Bankers and Gazans not wanting the likely results of more widespread violence.

There’s also been more bi-lateral relations with Jordan, involving the transfer of water and electricity, plus tourism. Last week Prime Minister Bennett had a warm visit in Bahrain. And despite Corona, there has been considerable Israeli tourism in the UAE. Saudi Arabia has allowed Israeli overflights, cutting down the costs of flying to the east. The Jordanian city of Aqaba has made overtures to its neighbor Eilat, for the purpose of joint ventures with respect to tourism. And the Palestinian casino in Jericho has renewed efforts to attract Israeli gamblers.

So what about Sheikh Jarrah, and the status of Palestinians living in what had been Jewish homes prior to 1948? The issue remains hot and local, but does not determine things for Israel’s wider status and interests. So far.

And all that competes for our attention with the larger issue of Russia and Ukraine.

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Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D., is professor emeritus of political science at Hebrew University. He may be contacted via ira.sharkansky@sdjewishworld.com