Publications

This white paper summarises the century-plus history of the Hashemite Custodianship of the Islamic and Christian Holy Sites in Jerusalem.

Agreement between His Majesty King Abdullah II Bin al-Hussein the Custodian of the Holy Sites in Jerusalem, and His Excellency Dr. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine.

The Israeli government's current mantra is that the Palestinians must recognize a ‘Jewish State’. Of course, the Palestinians have clearly and repeatedly recognize the State of Israel as such in the 1993 Oslo Accords.

Ever since Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 1967, successive Israeli governments have used all possible means to consolidate control over Jerusalem, including the use of cultural heritage as an ideological and political tool. Employing and manipulating archaeology to serve the ideology of colonialism and attempt to gain political legitimacy is not a new phenomenon. In East Jerusalem, after almost 50 years of occupation, this is more evident than ever before.

This book seeks to provide a brief overview of the history and religious significance of the Holy City of Jerusalem as a background to understanding the current legal and political status of the city.