From Jaffa Gate to Silwan – A Geopolitical Tour of the Old City With Ir Amim

The Old City of Jerusalem is a place unlike no other: it is home to some of the most important holy sites of the three major Abrahamic religions; a place which multiple empires have wanted to conquer, each of them leaving its mark behind; and a city that lives in people’s minds and hearts as much as in reality.

Millions of visitors from all over the world come to Jerusalem every year, amazed by its alleyways, the stories held in every stone, and its many historical and religious sites. But the Old City of Jerusalem is much more than that. Today, it is home to about 40,000 residents—Muslims, Jews and Christians—and, as much as it is holy, it is also a modern city where sanctity clashes with real estate interests that threaten to displace the local population, where discriminatory state laws affect the daily lives of residents, and where there are constant and concerted attempts to change the city’s image and character.

In this tour, we will depart from Jaffa Gate and walk eastwards, discussing, along the way, some of the most pressing political issues that affect the Old City of Jerusalem today:

Why are some families who have lived in the Old City for generations sometimes forcibly evicted from their homes? Who are the settler organizations that take over their houses and what are they pursuing? How is Israeli law used to enable the Israelization of a city that has long been a mosaic of religious and cultural diversity? And how are residents of the Old City’s protecting their heritage and safeguarding their right to the city?

Come explore these questions with us next Thursday, April 11!

Meeting Point: 3PM at Jaffa Gate

Ending Point: 6PM at Dung Gate (by the Western Wall)