Jerusalem Day

Despite - or perhaps because of - Bibi's rhetoric, one fact seems to have escaped quite a few people celebrating Yom Yerushalaim last Thursday: The city has actually been divided for quite a long time in everything but name, and despite the energetic efforts of the Ateret Cohanim.

I wouldn't be so presumptious as to expect anyone to take my word for it; but I do recommend reading this article.

"Possibly the most blatant example of this is the Shuafat refugee camp, which was included in Jerusalem's municipal boundaries. Here was an opportunity for Israel to set an example of how the Palestinian refugee problem should be dealt with. The whole area should have been rebuilt and proper housing should have been provided so as to obviate the need for UN services. But to Israel's shame the camp is still there after 41 years - a part of Israel. Like the Arab population in Jerusalem, it cannot be wished away."

The author, Moshe Arens, is still considered by many as the last of the original intellectual backbone of the Herut/Likud party; his views on Avigdor are not recorded...