Do we really need a whole essay telling us what we already know?

and our commitied ultra-zionists scream thet jerusalem will remain united. Once more, words, words, they don't care about the realitiy.

The Arabs of east Jerusalem are paid monthly stipends by the National Insurance Institute so that they won't make any 'trouble'. Just go to Post Offices in areas adjacent to east Jerusalem on the 21st of every month to see the money from Bituach Leumi being handed out. They also don't pay City Tax. They also enjoy the benefits of Medical treatment at Hadassah Mount Scopus Hospital & a dedicated Clalit Health fund Clinic.

The ones who live in Beit Yisrael, Geula and Mea Shearim, who don't have satellite dishes like the Arabs have.

I didn't notice in this article any reference to the ethnic cleansing of Jewish East Jerusalem after 1948, the destruction of synagogues and cemeteries by the Jordanians, the silence of the world when this was done. Did I miss something?

Who said we dont pay tax? Do u know how much me and my family pays for living in a neigbourhood that lacks the basic facilities and services by the municaplity.... Anyway, We dont care. The most important thing that we r going 2stay for ever and ever no matter what. We arent looking forward for services we r looking forward for freedom from the laws of a racist jewish state!!

# 4 posting shows his total ignorance and stupidity steming from his blind racism. Ofcourse Arabs of East Jerusalem are getting benefits from the National Insurance Bituach Leumi(BT).It is not a free handout as for the last 39 years since the begining of the occupation BT continuously collected national security taxes from East Jerusalem Arabs. On the other hand they also pay city taxes -arnona- although they get minimal services from the municipality.Saying that they don't pay city taxes is a big racist lie. They get medical treatment at Hadassah and Clalit fund because as like every resident in Israel they pay for health insurance. Also they pay income tax. Arabs in East Jerusalem are not a burden it is stupid liars like you avi that are a tremendous burden on humanity.

Sela doesn't mention the issue of Arabs of "East Jerusalem" not paying city taxes, not being Israeli citizens (by choice), voting for Hamas, building vast numbers of illegal dwellings, not being self-supporting, killing any Jews they can, and so on, and so on. No, these are "poor Arabs" deserving our pity. Wouldn't it be nice if some rich Jew who believed in Jewish Israel endowed an Israeli school of journalism for the national camp?

Why should they get services if they aren't willing to pay for them?

Its foolish to treat the residents of east jerusalem in this manner, if israel really wanted to hold onto all it in final status negotiations you should have integrated the east side into the city more with services and development, not just let it decay b/c its full of palestinians. It shows that an undivided jerusalem is a political goal, but you don't care about the people that live there, just the principle of controlling the whole city. When both sides care more about rocks and land than people's lives, that why you have a protracted 50 year long conflict

but of course that's not the point of the article...

Except for the ones that fixed your apartment, you'll never dream of visiting east Jerusalem or even west Jerusalem, that is beyond the dark mountians for you, so stay out of this "Foreign" business. The goverment treatment of Jerusalem Arabs wasnt always fair, thats true, but alot of the blame is on the Arabs, what can we do, the postman doesnt like to deliver mail under a shower of rocks and cries of "Itbach al yahud", you should try and understand.

Regardless of any antipathy to neighbours who may desire our death, as long as we desire to have any kind of a united city and country, all citizens and I mean ALL citizens must enjoy the same services. The condition and plight of east Jerusalem is a shameful blight on our nation and is inexcusable. I hold this opinion, even though I consider myself to be a right wing modern Orthodox guy who thinks convergence is nuts. There is a right and wrong in the world, and the condition of our eastern neighbourhoods is wrong, plain and simple.

As I read about the poverty in East Jerusalem it makes me wonder who is at fault. Is it the Israelis's fault for taking care of and protecting themselves first, Or the Arabs who are teaching their children from birth that killing Jews is first priority in life. Maybe if the Arabs changed their priorities Israel might be a little more giving. But what do I know, I'm only a dumb Canadian.

I like your stables...

I think Israel is ready to gave east jureslm back to the Plastenian. I think the israeli governemnt knows well that sonner or later they have to gave it away. That is why they did not invest or fix any thing there.

i agree with every word you said , you yisrael....

Don't know the reporter, but if this is supposed to be an article, it is very unprofessional. There is not one quote from those the reporter attacks. Shame on this news agency for slipshod journalism.

I noticed some really bad comments there. Personally, I think the Arabs in Jerusalem, especially the Muslims in the east, can do well without excess wealth. What is wealth anyways, if this life is too mere and pointless comparing to the After-Life? I've been to Lebanon, I'm currently in Nigeria where poverty is common, and yet I see no burdens suffered by Arab Jerusalemites today. However, this does not mean that the mayor of Jerusalem shouldn't try harder to better the equal working opportunities for many, and personally, I've seen worse areas in Africa than the second pic in this article. :S

Hi Garrey. Sometimes, I wonder if anyone knows the types of Arabs alive today in the Middle East. If you look at Israel, or even Lebanon, we have "Muslim" Arab and "Christian" Arab. Christianity in the Middle East's divided into these types: Aramaic Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Maranite, etc. And Islam: Sun'ni, and Shi'a -- of course, the faith branch of Hizballah. You may be a "dumb Canadian", but you got to learn much about out globalized world asap. You got to know who's a friend or foe.

The Maronites fought for years against the enforced arabism against them. Alas you have succeeded in destroying Phoenicia. You won't succeed with us.

Most are incapable of even providing most of the basic necessities of life! The evidence in Arab countries speaks for itself!