My suggestion is that Israeli's govt.is right,but not effective yet. I agree 100%that is very sad and painful what's going on in East Jerusalem as well as WB,Gaza,Golan,etc.But do you see a way other than "us or them"?I don't. What I know is that Israel is the only country we have and we can not absolutely give it up,including ,of course ,East Jerusalem.And I know too that if WE DO NOT CHANGE THINGS,THINGS DO NOT CHANGE! So,for how long can one sustain a "texture of life"that has under it an insatisfation? As you said in other words,there is a sick relationship of arabs in relation to Israel:they do not accept Israel but they hide in its wings. So,if one doesn't brake this vicious cicle ,it will never be broken. If I could suggest something,it would be : 1)The imposition of high profissionalism on Israelis soldiers.They shouldn't make things worst unecessarily,just to release their pains and frustrations,which are as high as the arabs you are defending. 2)Diplomacy towards foreigners powers in order to pressure them in changing their paradigms ,and start puting the HUGE amount of money they are actually wasting,in a program that ,step by step,would pay arabs to leave Israel and start a good life in fellow countries .This could start with arabs in East Jerusalem,Haifa,Yafo,etc,for after being implemented in Gaza and West Bank and Golan and etc. Many,will not accept it ,because their sick obcession with Israel,but the majority will,I am sure. So,slowly,but effectivelly,start resolving the situation,dealing first with those that accept financial support,letting for the end only those that desire only to fight,and THEN FIGHT THEM,which will be much,much easy to accomplish.

All these swell articles in YNet in honor of Yom Yerushalayim: "Haredim are taking over the city," "What it's like to be Gay in Jerusalem," "Seculars are jumping ship," "We can't continue to rule over the desperate Arab population" What's the logical next step? Why, GIVE AWAY ALL OF JERUSALEM AND ITS HAREDI POPULATION to the Palestinians while the "enlightened seculars" retreat to Tel Aviv and hide underneath the cabaret tables. YNet's "problem" solved.

B"H The Gaza district had numerous farms that feed hard-working Arabs and provided sustenance. Even that did not quiet the street, so there was a problem that was not just based on economic relief. This is no doubt a serious situation. However panic and rout does not solve the problem. The US President Bush thought this effort of further witdrawals might be best scheduled in three to four years, when he is not scheduled to be in office! This is no sound foundation behind but a subtle hint that rout and panic is not the right answer to the problem.

It seems to me that Dr. Margalit has no respect for the rule of law. In his article he states that E. Jerusalem residents have violated the law and they are being persecuted for their actions. His disregard for the rule of law is akin to the debate raging in the USA between the Senate and the House of Representatives related to illegal immigration. The House wants to uphold existing laws and the Senate wants to ignore the laws.

They want to walk with and feel without, I say no, its either ours or theirs, we cant unify Jerusalem and deny the people who live there, there are Arabs in Jerusalem just like there are Arabs in Ramallah just like there are Arabs in Haifa, the goverment is fine with the status quo, having the east Jerusalem Arabs' legal status somewhere between Ramallah and Haifa, no, I say its either ours or theirs, the people will be full citizens or no citizens, there shouldnt be a grey area when it comes to people, because grey areas with no boundaries lead to bad things.

Separate Arab Neighborhoods around Jerusalem as part of Jordan Palestine. The remaining Arabs in Jerusalem have a choice. Become full Israeli citizens and declare loyalty and serve in the IDF or move to Jordan Palestine. No holy sites or sections of the Old city of Jerusalem will ever again be part of anything but the holy Jewish capital of Israel.

You will find that he is a hard core leftist activist. Another Avenry or Beilin, nothing more. A traitor.

You don't give away what is most sacred to you as people, or you're left with nothing. All those centuries away from home the Jews survived living on hope --hope of return to Jerusalem. If you voluntarily relinquish Jerusalem, you relinquish any hope of survival and you render the last two millennia of the Jewish survival as a distinct people completely meaningless. All that you want to do to accomodate the "other." Is anything worth fighting for, except for your condo, or perhaps not even that?

Sir, I would like to respectfully call you an idiot if you truly believe israel is to blame for the violence being brought forth by the "palestinians". The soapbox you are standing on has never and will never be accepted by those at all knowledgable of middle eastern history, except for those who choose or are forced to accept an outright and undeniable set of lies fostered by a violent and world domination seeking islamic religion.

End of story.

the prime target of palestinians living or moving to jerusalem is the future creation of an arab city/capital in an arab country. they don't intend to integrate or assimilate in a jewish city in israel. therefore the only consequenz for the survival of a jewish state is to stop further 'immigration' and resettle all oposants or enemies of israel. this is not a question of humanity but simple a question of survival of the jewish state.

While the physical condition of east Jerusalem and the lack of services is an absolute disgrace which deserves remediation yesterday, this piece shows once again that even Phd's can also be alarmist fools that overstate the case for their own ends. And a note to the Americans that agree with me; enough talk, time for aliyah.

It is interesting to note that Margalit is a Jew who commiserates admirably with Arab suffering. But it is alarming to note that there is no counterpoint as to Jewish suffering. More importantly, where is the internal conviction in this Jewish writer that Israel is a country for the Jewish people, a homeland that is historical, ancient, modern, spiritual, and mentioned in the Bible over 600 times. Where is the mention on the part of this writer that Jerusalem is not mentioned, not even one time, in the Koran?? Mecca is where an Arab belongs if he wants spirituality and Moslem identity. Not Jerusalem. Here's the rub: An Arab living in Jerusalem, under the auspices of the Israeli government (with both it's good and bad points) is faring a million times better than he would if he lived in an Arab country. Any measures taken against Arabs living in Israel are for security and well-being of the Jewish people. Jews do not have as their agenda the extermination of every Arab on the face of the earth. Radical Islam, of which the Jerusalem Arab is inextricably tied to (even if he doesn't want to be, they will find him and threaten him!) espouses the extermination of all Jews from the face of the earth. If Arab terrorism would stop, then Jewish desire to take care of its Arabs would increase (despite 1400 years of murder at the hands of the Arab). Is Margalit a self-hating Jew? Why does this writer not examine the plight of the Jewish people?

have systematically destroyed and removed artifats on the Temple Mount. We treat the Arabs far better than the Arab/Muslim states treat/ed the Jews - so stop bleating about their Human Rights when they destroy our most sacred site with impunity under the eyes of the "secular" Israeli governments of Bibi, Barak, Sharon and Olmert. Where is our pride and dignity??

Between 1948 and 1967, the Jordanian army occupied the Old City of Jerusalem and adjacent neighborhoods. They made these into "Arab East Jerusalem" by expelling the Jews who lived there, and whose families had lived there for generations. Then in June of 1967 "Arab East Jerusalem" ceased to exist. Jerusalem is united, and has been since 1967. Just as there is no longer any such thing as East Berlin, there is no longer any such thing as "Arab East Jerusalem." Just as there is no longer any such thing as Biafra, there is no longer any such thing as "Palestine".

Franz Joseph had no more clues to rule over Hungary than Israel over the Palestinians. And the Hungarian were stubborn too. Only a reasonable Hungarian Ferenc Deak could end the tragedy. The same miracle should be repeated in the more tragic Palestinian - Israeli clash of the centuries. Theodore Herzl started a decent project. Israel is a beautiful country. Tragically, in place of a mutual openmindedness, the long row of past leaders were very destructive. I hope, a reasonable brilliant moderate set of Israeli and Palestinian leaders will rise to restore sanity to the Palestinians and the Israelis. The atmosphere of mutual respect is needed.

In Berlin, a wall was torn down. In Jerusalem, and in the East of Palestine, a wall is being constructed. Nothing could be more obvious than the coercive and violent demographic division of this land. If you cant read the writing on the wall, let me spell out: N O C O E X I S T E N C E H A T E D I S C R I M I N A T I O N V I O L E N C E B L O O D for our children Who wouldnt wish something different for our and your offspring? WAKE UP ISRAEL

There is a very dangerous alliance afoot here, between fanatical settlers & USA rapture freaks (those that wish to see our Lord & Saviour riding on a mushroom cloud to `rapture up' the elect & smite the rest of us). Check out `REVELATIONS 7:4' (New Testamant), which clearly states that only 144,000 out of 30 million Jews `make it' or else the magik wont work. In the context of the crash of the petrodollar (with the Iran war) bringing with it the entire financial system & the consequant rage & fury seeking an outlet, it should NOT take a genius to guess who will be Target Number 1. Those whose refusal to submit to `The Godly authority of our Lord & Saviour, is (deemed) responsible for such' (unless you trust the neo cons/ credit expansionary speculator classes to put their hand up saying `you got us bang to rights it was us guv'.

paranoia will destro'ya

It is the arab palestinian rejection of Israel's right to exist and *not* Israeli policies that are the cause of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. There is no law on earth that requires the Jewish people to accept the revision of their history and the division of country's borders, nor their own demise merely because "palestinians" say we should. Go carve out a niche in Jordan, where you really belong.

The real spark that will ignite Jerusalem will NOT come from the sources this author mentioned. It will come from the incitement generated by pseudo academics and media hacks who rail against Jewish 'occupation' (is any place in Israel NOT occupied in this writer's mind? Perhaps Tel Aviv is okay?) and those who bemoan the 'poor' treatment given to the Arabs. The author didn't note that the regime tiptoes around all Arab sensibilities in Israel. Why are Islamists allowed to preach on the Temple Mount, yet Jews are not even allowed to move their lips on Judaism's holiest site? Why are thousands of illegal Arab structures allowed to remain in Israel, yet the regime goes after all Jewish 'settlement' in Israel it deems provocative? The author does not mention that the Arab municipalities do not collect the taxes due to the gov't, and that is EXACTLY why they have many things that are in disrepair. However, when compared to ALL the enormous taxes that Jewish residents are forced to pay to their local gov't, the Arabs end up getting more done, yet contribute less of the shekels they are supposed to pay. Why doesn't this author demand that the Arab leaders collect taxes due to their municipalities, and inform them that waging jihad in Israel is NOT a fruitful idea?

When the first sentence has a major fact error, it is difficult to take the rest of the story seriously.

on the day after the first anniversary of the six day war was the start of the second year of the reunification. it has been 39 years since reunification - we have just started the 40th year. the writer was not suggesting that 40 years have been completed.

All of the remarks I have read shows how narrow minded American Jews are and stupid Israel's are. If one of your own writer writs the truth you immediatedilay turn against him and try to discredit him because you do not like what he/she wrote. The truth of the matter Jerusalem is divided and it will remain divided no matter what Israel tries to do on the ground. Even if you obtain the Israeli citizenship you will remain a second class citizen in a racist country. This is a fact and you have to live with it. Arabs in East Jerusalem will remain there whether you like it or not........

If its hard on them, let them go live in Jordan or Iraq.

Who are you an Arabian colonist to accuse Israel of racism? Arabs wrote the book on racism with the whole concept of Jihad and dhimmi. You make non muslims pay taxes , limit employment wear badgesand ride donkeys.

Hani, you overestimate your importance. Nobody needs to prove anything to you. You not only have no right to Israel, you are immeasurably weaker and live there only because Israeli Jewish leaders lack balls and your palestinian leaders are barbaric and unevolved. Israel is here to stay and Jews are here to stay, and no matter how you capitalize the words, you are thieves trying to carve another Islamo-fascist niche in this world.

So any Jew who criticizes Israel is a traitor??? This is the common attitude and yet they call Israel a democracy....lol...

I hear all the time that Israel is the only country the Jews have and that they cannot give it up. But why does a religious group need their own country? Do the Christians have their own country? Do the Muslims have their own country? Do Hindu's have their own country? NO!!! Some might say that the Hindu’s have India and the Muslims have Iran but the difference with those countries is that religion came after the country and its inhabitants came. So a bunch of let's say Muslims didn't gather and said that let's take Iran from their original inhabitants and make it the Islamic Republic. Rather the "original population" decided to make the Islamic Republic not the other way around. The Zionists decided to make a homeland for the Jews and chose to go to Palestine and remove its original population and move in Jews from all over the world. This is racist, oppressive, immoral, and illegal according to international law. In my opinion we're all God's children and we're all the same. It seems to me that instead of uniting people, most Jews, specifically the Zionists, always go out of their way to separate themselves from everyone else and concentrate on the differences of people instead of the similarities. In my opinion, that's racist. Jew and Muslim are more alike then different. Why do we only concentrate on the differences rather than the similarities? Why are the Jews so obsessed with separating themselves from others? In history the Jews have always been in conflict with others, which has had negative results for them. Isn't it time to change? The Jews are not the only people who didn't have a country prior to Israel. The Assyrians don't have a country and yet they live in different countries of the world and are loyal to their new countries. Why are the Jews so different? Why must they oppress, murder, and take the land of a group of people to make a homeland for themselves? I just don't understand it.

Who are you, someone who claims to live somewhere in the armpit of the North America, to arrogantly prescribe which Jew in what city has the authority to state which group is entitled to what parcel of land?     What do you want Jews to do: give away more slices of land in what is already a tiny sliver of the Middle East to Jew-hating Arabs who already populate 22, soon-to-be 23 Muslim theocracies in the region and who have more resources to enrich their citizens than any other region in the entire world, but refuse to do so?    Your PC (politically correct) solution amounts to agreeing to the attempt to ethnically cleanse the small Jewish population there so that only the Mohammedans remain.   Your left-wing Eurabian attitude smacks of the sort of anti-Semitism espoused by the nazi party and the Vatican of the Middle Ages.   Face it, Sam.  The only solution you passively propose is the same solution Arafat actively pursued:  the destruction of Israel.  You're an embarrassment.