"Netanyahu, just like his predecessors, are insulting the very essence of Jerusalem. It is not Jewish, but it is not solely Muslim or Christian either. That would be selfish and intolerant. Jerusalem and its layers of history, humanity and religious significance cannot be claimed by one. To do so is offending the significance of its walls, its mosques, its churches and its historic stones. Jerusalem, quite frankly should be an open city. This is really the only solution that would do justice to all those who wish to worship in it, to relive its history and to appreciate its beauty. Jews claim they are finally able to return to the Western Wall to pray. That would be fine if that were the case for other religions as well. Palestinian Muslims from the West Bank and Gaza cannot pray in Al Aqsa, the third holiest site in Islam and Palestinian Christians just kilometers away cannot worship in the church where Jesus was crucified. If anything, Jerusalem has been increasingly isolated from its Palestinian surroundings through Israel’s system of exclusion, manifested in the separation wall, the checkpoints and the permit system firmly in place for Palestinians.
To put it plain and simple, Israel cannot claim for itself what it denies to others and still call itself a democracy. Neither can it hold a monopoly over a city of such significance to all peoples and faiths such as Jerusalem." Joharah Baker
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