Jerusalem: Foreign tourists are flocking to Israel's capital again, but the number of visitors has still not returned to pre-pandemic levels, according to a report released on Wednesday, a day ahead of Jerusalem Day. Jerusalem on Thursday marks the 56th anniversary of its reunification in the 1967 Six-Day War with celebratory events being throughout the capital, including the annual flag march through the Old City. The Jerusalem Institute for Policy Research's 37th Statistical Yearbook of Jerusalem presents a comprehensive picture of the city's situation. Last year saw double the number of international visitors compared to 2021, with room occupancy in city hotels at 55 per cent in 2022 versus just 22 per cent the previous year. However, in 2019, before the pandemic, occupancy stood at 72 per cent. Hotel revenues last year reached 2 billion shekels (USD549 million), marking a 181% increase compared to 2021 but still well below 2019's record of 2.5 billion shekels (USD 686 million).  Jerusalem in 2022 was the top destination in Israel for foreign visitors in terms of overnight stays at 34 per cent, but was far less popular among Israelis, drawing only 8per cent of overnight stays compared with figures of 42per cent for Eilat, 11per cent for the Dead Sea and 8per cent for Tel Aviv "After three challenging years of Covid-19, which devastated tourism to the city, it's heartening to see Jerusalem gradually returning to the levels of activity we had before the outbreak of the pandemic," said Dr David Koren, CEO of the Jerusalem Institute for Policy Research. The report noted several other key findings. Jerusalem, Israel's most populous city is approaching one million residents. More than 1.4 million people live in the greater Jerusalem area in 80 localities surrounding Israel's capital. The median age of Jerusalemites at the end of last year was 24.2 years, compared to 30.1 for Israel at large. Children ages 0-14 represent 33 per cent of the city's population. The fertility rate of 3.9 last year was significantly higher than the general Israeli fertility rate of 3 and even higher compared to Tel Aviv (1.9) and Haifa (2.1). The birth rate for Jewish women in Jerusalem was 4.4, while for Arab women in the city the figure was 3.1. The poverty rate in Jerusalem is significantly higher than overall in Israel with 39 per cent of Jerusalem's families (125,900) living below the poverty line last year. About half of Jerusalem's children (202,400) live below the poverty line. "Jerusalem is in the midst of a revolutionary shift that is already making its mark: the city is prospering and growing, and its businesses and tourism are on the rise," remarked Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion. —ANI

Foreign tourists are flocking to Israel's capital again, but the number of visitors has still not returned to pre-pandemic levels

Foreign tourism bounces back in Jerusalem: Report

Dr. Alon Ben-Meir* New York (The Hawk): Over the past several months, the discussion between the US and Saudi Arabia over the prospect of normalizing relations between Israel and the Saudis have intensified, albeit no breakthrough in the negotiations seems to be in the offing. It is possible, however, that the US and the Saudis can reach an agreement in connection with the Saudis’ three demands, requiring the US to guarantee the Saudis’ national security, provide a civilian nuclear reactor, and permit sales of the US’ most advanced weapons, in exchange for normalization. The stumbling block is the fourth Saudi demand, which is the establishment of a clear path that will lead to a permanent solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I maintain that given the composition of the current coalition government, which is the most extremist right-wing, nationalist, and religious in Israel’s history, there is no prospect that it would meet the Saudis’ demands, let alone satisfy the Palestinians’ insistence on a two-state solution. Whereas the establishment of an independent Palestinian state is a must to achieve a permanent solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, given the current realities on the ground, which are not subject to change in any substantial way, the two-state solution can no longer stand on its own. Whereas the creation of a Palestinian state is a prerequisite to a solution, it will have to be established in the context of an Israeli-Palestinian-Jordanian confederation, dictated by the facts on the ground which have been developing since Israel captured the West Bank in 1967. Below, it will be demonstrated why such a confederation must include Jordan, without which any solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will be tenuous at best, if they can agree upon one in the first place. An Israeli-Palestinian-Jordanian confederation will ultimately provide the only enduring solution. Confederations are defined as “voluntary associations of independent states that, to secure some common purpose, agree to certain limitations on their freedom of action and establish some joint machinery of consultation or deliberation.” [emphasis added] In an Israeli-Palestinian-Jordanian confederation, the three states would join together on issues of common interest that cannot be addressed except under full collaboration under a confederative framework. The Palestinians’ determination to establish a state of their own will not change, regardless of the shifting political winds in the region and irrespective of the frequent eruption of violence, which could only further escalate. I challenge every Israeli to show me how, when, and why the Palestinians would ever abandon their aspirations for statehood. However oppressive the Israeli occupation becomes; the greater the Palestinians’ violent resistance will be. Moreover, every regional and global power has and will continue to support the Palestinian cause. Although Israel has thus far successfully defied the international consensus, it can never maintain the status quo of the occupation and enjoy a day of peace. Just imagine the resentment, the hatred, and the depth of hostility of four generations of Palestinians representing over 95 percent of all living Palestinians today, all of whom were born under the occupation. The current Israeli government must answer the public as to where Israel will be in 10-15 years if it continues to pursue its ambition of creeping annexation and how the Palestinians will react during this increasingly brutal occupation. It does not take a genius to predict the horrifying consequences that will inevitably unfold. Instead, a solution to the conflict will be found only in the context of an Israeli-Palestinian-Jordanian confederation. Jordan, which signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994 and fully collaborates on multiple fronts with both Israel and the Palestinians, has intrinsic long-term security concerns tied to the conflict. And based on through discussions with scores of people in the know, Israel will not form a bilateral confederation with the Palestinians, and Jordan will not join any confederation without a Palestinian state being established first. The following provides the rationale behind the tripartite confederation. Interspersed populations The Israeli and Palestinian populations are interspersed in the West Bank, where there are approximately 2.3 million Palestinians and about 432,000 Israelis. In East Jerusalem there are roughly 361,000 Palestinians and 233,000 Israelis, and in Israel proper there are 1.8 million Arab citizens and 6.6 million Jews. In Jordan, the population is estimated to be somewhere between 55 to 70 percent of Palestinian origin, which translates to roughly 6 to 8.2 million people. This reality of interspersed Israeli-Palestinian and Palestinian-Jordanian populations is not and will not be subject to change in any substantial way, other than perhaps relocating 70,000 - 80,000 Israeli settlers to other larger settlements under land swaps, which both sides have agreed to in the past in principle to allow for the creation of a contiguous land mass for the Palestinian state. Thus, the coexistence of Israeli and Palestinian populations under any conditions of peace or hostility is permanent. Neither side can ever dislodge the other from the territories they currently occupy.  It should also be noted that other than interspersed populations, their geographic contiguity, shared national security, and interactions on many other fronts only heightens the need for greater collaboration between all three parties. This is where confederation becomes central, as it will meet the collective and individual requirements of all three entities without compromising their sovereignty and independence.  Israel’s national security Israel’s national security concerns are heightened by three factors: the Jews’ persecution for centuries throughout the diaspora, the existential threat emanating from its regional adversary Iran, and the threat by Palestinian extremists such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Although Israel can prevail militarily over any security threat regardless of its source, its national security concerns still loom high. Needless to say, the occupation exacerbates Israel’s security concerns, albeit it is self-manufactured and only Israel can mitigate it by ending the occupation and putting in place a new security apparatus that will include Israel, the Palestinians, and Jordan.  Security collaboration between Israel and the Palestinians is a must. Indeed, even under the current adversarial conditions, Israel and the PA still collaborate on certain aspects of their security. Given that Jordan’s national security is very much intertwined with both Israel and the Palestinians, continued and further expansion of collaboration on all security matters between them will remain essential to the three entities. For Israel and Jordan in particular, their security cooperation has regional security implications as well and neither Israel nor Jordan would want to weaken their security ties, especially given the regional instability.  The status of Jerusalem Very little, if anything can change in the current status of Jerusalem, which served in the 1970s and 1980s as a microcosm of peaceful Israeli-Palestinian coexistence. Jerusalem houses the Jews’ holiest shrines as well as Islam’s third holiest shrines, all at the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif. Moreover, given that Jordan is the custodian of the Muslim shrines in Jerusalem, there is absolutely no way to separate the structural religious component of the city for both Muslims and Jews alike.  Although Israel annexed East Jerusalem immediately after it occupied the city in 1967, and a vast majority of Israelis insist that a united Jerusalem must remain the eternal capital of Israel, the establishment of a Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem should not categorically be ruled out. Besides, many alternative ideas are floating around to satisfy the Palestinian aspiration, including the expansion of Jerusalem’s periphery to include the town of Silwan as an integral part of greater Jerusalem, where a Palestinian capital can be established.  Indeed, since both Israel and the Palestinians as well as Jordan want Jerusalem to remain an open city and neither side seeks to build any barriers between its east and west sides, under conditions of peace the Palestinians residing in the east side will have every right to govern themselves. That is, as long as the current status continues where the city remains united and open for both Israelis and Palestinians to traverse freely from east to west and vice versa, and where the Israeli Jews and the Palestinians differ only in their citizenship, the establishment of a Palestinian capital, possibly in expanded East Jerusalem, remains a viable option.  Palestinian refugees From the time Israel was created in 1948, the Palestinians with the support of the Arab states have insisted on the “right of return.” Since then, the number of refugees has swelled from about 750,000 that were uprooted from Palestine to nearly 6 million. Israel has rejected off-hand the return of any substantial number of refugees.  Sadly, if not tragically, Palestinian leaders use the refugees as a political tool to justify their refusal to reach any negotiated agreement while abandoning them to languish in refugee camps for decades. In Jordan alone, there are roughly 2.3 million refugees and thirteen refugee camps (ten official and three unofficial), albeit the vast majority have become Jordanian citizens.  Indeed, other than the possible return of 15,000 – 20,000 refugees to Israel in the context of family reunification, the repatriation of millions of refugees to Israel proper is entirely out of the realm of possibility. Nevertheless, Israel must acknowledge its culpability in the creation of the Palestinian refugee problem to mitigate the trauma that they have experienced. The refugees can “resettle” in their home country of Palestine in the West Bank or Gaza as the majority are de facto internally displaced. It should be noted that the establishment of a confederation will allow for the refugee problem to be settled—with financial support from the US, the EU, Israel, and wealthy Arab states in particular would fully participate in the process of either resettlement or compensation, or both.  Process of reconciliation Given the intractability and the intricacies of the conflict and the depth of distrust, hatred, and animosity between Israel and the Palestinians, it will be naïve to assume that such a resolution can simply be negotiated, and an agreement be reached. It will take at least a decade for a process of reconciliation, both people-to-people and government-to-government, to mitigate the deeply hostile and distrustful atmosphere before a final agreement can be realized, as long as the principle of establishing an independent Palestinian state is agreed upon from the onset. Jordan's participation in the reconciliation process between Israel and the Palestinians is central as Amman can always play an important role to facilitate and advance the process.  In this respect, should the negotiations on the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia continue to progress, the latter must insist that a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict be enshrined in any formal agreement or a treaty between the two sides that obligates the current and any future Israeli government to honor.  Validity of confederation Given the demographic, territorial, security, economic, and religious interconnectedness between Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinians, it will prove to be impossible to reach a bilateral Israeli-Palestinian agreement based on a two-state solution without Jordan’s direct and indirect involvement. As demonstrated above, Jordan has and continues to be affected by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and it will have to be a partner to any future solution.  The establishment of an Israeli-Palestinian confederation would create the framework that can sustain any resolution to the conflict and offer an enduring incentive to safeguard it. Indeed, under any circumstance, the three entities are locked in a reality they cannot change, and the creation of such a confederation offers unlimited opportunities for all to grow and prosper in peace and security.
*Dr. Alon Ben-Meir is a retired professor of international relations at the Center for Global Affairs at NYU. He teaches courses on international negotiation and Middle Eastern studies.

Over the past several months, the discussion between the US and Saudi Arabia over the prospect of normalizing relations between Israel and the Saudis 

An Israeli-Palestinian-Jordanian Confederation Offers The Best Solution To The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Tel Aviv [Israel]: The Israel Defense Forces on Saturday declared a state of readiness for war following a massive barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip and infiltration of Hamas terrorists into Israel, The Times of Israel (TOI) reported. "The IDF declares a state of readiness for war," the army said in a statement.
"There has been widespread rocket fire into Israeli territory from Gaza, and terrorists have infiltrated Israeli territory through various entry points. Residents in the south and centre of the country are required to be in close proximity to protected areas, and those in the Gaza periphery should remain within a secure space," the IDF added in its statement. Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces said that it was carrying out retaliatory airstrikes in the Gaza Strip. The strikes come nearly two hours after Hamas launched a surprise attack, the Israeli daily reported. In a statement, the IDF said the Chief of Staff, Lt Gen Herzi Halevi, is holding an assessment and approving plans of action, the daily added in its report. "Hamas... which is behind this attack, will bear the results and responsibility for the events," the IDF said. A barrage of rockets slammed into southern and central Israel Saturday morning, including in Jerusalem, where sirens wailed at around 8.15 am (local time), Jerusalem Post reported. At least one rocket directly hit a building in the Gederot Regional Council, killing a woman in her 60s, according to Magen David Adom. As of 8 am (local time) on Saturday morning, Magen David Adom (MDA) said it had, thus far, treated 16 people throughout the country, including two who were in critical condition, six in moderate condition and seven with minor injuries. There has been sustained rocket fire toward Israel for over two hours. One woman has been killed and there are multiple wounded from the barrages. Aside from the woman who died of her wounds, the injured included a 52-year-old man from Gederot, who was moderately injured, and a 20-year-old man from Yavne, who also sustained minor injuries. Both victims were transferred to Kaplan Hospital, according to Jerusalem Post. Hospitals also began reporting their wounded: Asaf Harofeh said it treated six people -- two in serious condition, one in moderate condition, and three with mild injuries. Meanwhile, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant approved a widescale call-up of reservists, following a surprise attack by Hamas on Israel.
—ANI

The Israel Defense Forces on Saturday declared a state of readiness for war following a massive barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip

Israel declares 'readiness for war' after rocket attacks from Gaza

Tel Aviv [Israel]: Following a massive barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip fired towards Israel, Naor Gilon, Israel's Ambassador to India stressed that the situation is not simple but Israel will prevail. Noting that the attack happened during the Jewish holidays, the Indian envoy further stated that Israel is under a combined attack from Gaza, both by rockets and ground infiltration of Hamas terrorists.
Taking to his social media 'X', he stated, "#Israel is under a combined attack from Gaza during the Jewish holiday. Both by rockets and ground infiltration of Hamas terrorists. The situation is not simple but Israel will prevail."
<a href="https://twitter.com/naorgilon/status/1710535054818976067?s=46&t=TbrKHKgG29uXA1CMFN38Pw" target="_self">https://twitter.com/naorgilon/status/1710535054818976067?s=46&amp;t=TbrKHKgG29uXA1CMFN38Pw</a>&nbsp;
According to The Times of Israel, Hamas said that it launched 5,000 rockets at Israel in an early morning surprise attack, calling it "Operation al-Aqsa Flood." Mohammad Deif, the Hamas military commander, issued a statement saying that the ongoing attacks are in retaliation for Israel's "desecration" of the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. Moreover, Israel's Foreign Ministry stressed that Israel will do everything to protect itself. Noting that the attack happened on Shabbat and the holiday of Simchat Torah, he said non-stop rocket sirens were setting off across the country. "ISRAEL UNDER ATTACK: On Shabbat &amp; the holiday of Simchat Torah - non-stop rocket sirens are sounding across Israel, including Jerusalem. Israel is under terrorist infiltration carried out by the Hamas terrorist organization. We will do everything to protect ourselves," the Israel Foreign Ministry shared on social media 'X'. Meanwhile, Charge d'Affaires at the US Embassy in Jerusalem Stephanie Hallett also condemned the attack by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians.
She emphasized that she is in contact with Israeli officials and extends her support to Israel's right to defend itself from such terrorist acts. "I condemn the indiscriminate rocket fire by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians. I am in contact with Israeli officials, and fully support Israel's right to defend itself from such terrorist acts," Stephanie Hallett said in a post shared on 'X'. Israel/status/1710528006685380673?t=xk83WCx6Vbvnm2XleXhPdw&amp;s=08" rel="noopener" target="_blank"&gt;https://twitter.com/USAmbIsrael/status/1710528006685380673?t=xk83WCx6Vbvnm2XleXhPdw&amp;s=08 A barrage of rockets slammed into southern and central Israel Saturday morning, including in Jerusalem, where sirens wailed at around 8.15 am (local time), Jerusalem Post reported. At least one rocket directly hit a building in the Gederot Regional Council, killing a woman in her 60s, according to Magen David Adom. Following the attack, the Israel Defense Forces on Saturday declared a state of readiness for war. "The IDF declares a state of readiness for war," the army said in a statement. "There has been widespread rocket fire into Israeli territory from Gaza, and terrorists have infiltrated Israeli territory through various entry points. Residents in the south and centre of the country are required to be in close proximity to protected areas, and those in the Gaza periphery should remain within a secure space," the IDF added in its statement. "Hamas... which is behind this attack, will bear the results and responsibility for the events," the IDF said. As of 8 am (local time) on Saturday morning, Magen David Adom (MDA) said it had, thus far, treated 16 people throughout the country, including two who were in critical condition, six in moderate condition and seven with minor injuries. There has been sustained rocket fire toward Israel for over two hours. One woman has been killed and there are multiple wounded from the barrages.
—ANI

Following a massive barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip fired towards Israel, Naor Gilon, Israel's Ambassador to India stressed that the situation

"The situation is not simple but Israel will prevail": Israel envoy on Hamas attack

Tel Aviv: Amid the ongoing truce in Gaza, three civilians and two terrorists were killed in a shooting incident carried out by Hamas operatives at a bus station in Jerusalem on Thursday, authorities said.  According to Israel's emergency services the MDA, the victims included a 24 year-old woman and a man in his 70s.  The police said that two attackers opened fire at people waiting at the bus station in the outskirts of Jerusalem during the morning rush hour.  The two suspects were later neutralised by wo off-duty soldiers and a civilian, the police said.  Meanwhile, the two suspects have been identified as brothers Murad Namr (38) and Ibrahim Namr(30) from East Jerusalem.  Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gavir said the shooters were Hamas militants operatives.  "These are apparently Hamas operatives, who speak here with two voices, one voice of a so-called cease-fire and a second voice of terror," Gavir told reporters.  The development came just hours after Israel and Hamas agreed to extend the humanitarian truce in Gaza for a seventh day, just minutes before it was set to expire on Thursday.
—IANS

Amid the ongoing truce in Gaza, three civilians and two terrorists were killed in a shooting incident carried out by Hamas operatives at a bus station

3 civilians, 2 terrorists killed in Jerusalem shooting

Jerusalem: A district court here will resume hearing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption case on Tuesday after a more than two-month hiatus due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.  Israel launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Palestinian group Hamas on October 7.
Under the so-called Case 4000 or the Bezeq-Walla bribery case, Netanyahu allegedly took regulatory steps beneficial to Bezeq Telecommunications in exchange for favourable media coverage on the Walla website, earlier owned by Bezeq.  The Jerusalem District Court will resume hearing on 74-year-old Netanyahu’s corruption case on Tuesday.  In June, the three judges in the case recommended that the prosecution withdraw the bribery charge.  The prosecution, however, declined to withdraw the charge and decided to continue the trial as planned, after which the court heard the testimonies of the people concerned.  The last hearing in the bribery case was held on September 20, after which the court adjourned for a holiday break, which got extended due to Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel on October 7 and the subsequent war.  The courts had since shifted to an emergency schedule, during which only urgent hearings were held.  The trial in Netanyahu’s corruption cases was halted as they were not considered urgent.  Last week, Justice Minister Yariv Levin signed regulations allowing the courts to resume normal operations.  Under the directives, courts have resumed activity with exceptions for attorneys and litigants now serving in the army reserves or who have been evacuated from their homes under government orders.  In addition, legal procedures have been “frozen” in connection with lawyers and litigants who have been taken hostage or deemed missing, as well as parents, spouses, children, and siblings of hostages and missing persons and other family members who qualify for government assistance, under the Law for the Funding of Prisoner, Hostage and Missing Person Families.  These cases are being postponed, except if both parties to a lawsuit agree to go forward.  Irked by the resumption of the hearing, David Amsalem, a minister in the Justice Ministry and a Netanyahu’s Likud party member, called it an “unparalleled disgrace”.  “War? Hostages? Evacuees? The economy? No and no… What’s most important now is to engage the Prime Minister of Israel with the unfounded allegations and delusional trifles,” Amsalem wrote on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.  “Yes, yes, you read it right. There’s no reason to delay it. It’s an unparalleled disgrace!” he said.  Netanyahu is exempt from appearing at these hearings but may be required to testify in a few months.  If the war continues for several months, the question of how the war and the hearings can be conducted simultaneously will have to be addressed.  Netanyahu is also on trial for two additional counts of fraud and breach of trust in Case 1000, which concerns gifts he allegedly inappropriately received from billionaire benefactors, and Case 2000, in which he allegedly negotiated to obtain favourable media coverage in a newspaper in exchange for curtailing its competitors, The Times of Israel newspaper reported.  The death toll from Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has surged to 15,523 since the start of the conflict on October 7, the Health Ministry in the besieged Palestinian enclave announced Sunday.&nbsp;
—PTI

A district court here will resume hearing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption case on Tuesday after a more than two-month hiatus

Israel PM Netanyahu's trial in corruption case to resume under shadow of Gaza war

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was conscious and conversing with family on Monday after undergoing a successful hernia operation, the hospital treating him said.
Hadassah Medical Centre in Jerusalem said Netanyahu was recovering, but did not immediately specify how long that might take.
—Reuters

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is recovering from a successful hernia surgery at Jerusalem's Hadassah Medical Centre, staying alert and in good spirits.

The Hawk

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Foreign tourism bounces back in Jerusalem: Report

Inam Ansari

Tag : Jerusalem

Foreign tourism bounces back in Jerusalem: Report

Inam Ansari

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