European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 29, 1978, Darmstadt, Hesse Wailing Wall below islam s sacred dome of the Rock mosque on mount Amoriah pilgrims visiting stations of Cross in via Dolorosa. Center of conflict associated press wish tradition says Jerusa Lem is the Center of the world. But the City is also a Center of Christian and moslem tradition and its future remains at the heart of the Long smouldering Mideast Camp David Summit resulted in a framework for peace but left the Jeru Salem Issue undetermined saying Only that letters would be sages say the Mountain where Solomon built his fabulous Temple is the Earth s beating heart and that through the Gates of the City will come a Messiah to save the Vatican Calls it the Cradle of christianity and the moslem who believe Mohammed ascended to heaven from Jerusa Lem consider its holiness third Only to Mecca and Medina both in saudi Arabia. Fighting Between jews and arabs accounts for Only two of the 37 wars and conquests the City has witnessed in its 3,000-year history. When the jordanian ruled sector of Cit fell to Israel in 1967, the jewish state vowed never to relinquish City had been divided Between Jor Dan and Israel in bitter and inconclusive fighting in 1948. Barriers of Brick and bar bed wire minefields and sniper nests Cut a jagged wound through its within Days of the israeli capture of the Eastern sector on june 7, 1967, bulldozers erased the former annexation Bill was rushed through the Knesset Israel s parliament on june28, and the Eastern Section of Jerusalem including the old City and its holy Sites became part of Israel. Israel s policy has not changed fro that Day Jerusalem must remain United under israeli sovereignty As the nation capital with free Access to the sacred places of All religions. The United states has never recognize Jerusalem As Israel s capital maintaining its embassy in Tel Aviv. Israel s largest City with More than 360,-000 residents Jerusalem has already sur passed by a few thousand the population not counting Urban sprawl of Tel Aviv Only 40 Miles and less an an hour away by bus on the Mediterranean coast. Mayor Teddy Kollek supports a plan to split the City into autonomous boroughs. He told the associated press during the amp David Summit that the Borough sys tem could be modified to give religious communities of moslem roman catholics armenian and Eastern orthodox limited control Over their Peoples. Conservatives however refuse to countenance changes. Jerusalem must remain As it is to Day says Deputy mayor Yehoshua Matza a member of prime minister Menachem begin s liked party. There cannot be any in the Camp David documents Egypt ducked the Issue of Jerusalem but is said to be Happy with president Carter s reported position that it is part of the West ban of the Jordan River and presumably should be negotiated with the West Bank and that any changes that have been made by Israel Are officials have been vague on what should happen to the formerly Jorda Nian sector. They have said the City should not be divided As it was before 1967 and that holy places should be accessible to All As they Are now. While it was under jordanian Domina Tion israelis were barred from Eastern Jerusalem and its walled old City a 21 acre Maze of Arab Bazaar and 300 holy Sites of three major faiths. For 19 years israeli jews could not visit there the Hal Lowed Western Wall or wailing Wall As non jews named Ita surviving remnant of the Rampart that encircled the second Temple which was destroyed in the year 70 by roman legionnaires. During that period israeli moslem also were denied Access to the dome of the Rock and Al Asa mosque and israeli christians were allowed Only at Chris Masand easter to Cross Over the City Demarca Tion line called Mandelbaum Gate to visit holy places such As the Church of the holy sepulchre. Saudis and their Gulf partners con tend that the predominantly Arab Eastern part of Jerusalem should be fully restored to arabs. Jordanians also Call for return of the part of Jerusalem they had taken by Force during the 1948-49 War of israeli Independence after the expiration of the British mandate Over Palestine. Officials in Amman say privately there should be Arab sovereignty on the East Side of the City but suggest possible joint administration of services communication and bus routes with the West Side. No Arab state has called for the return of the Western or pre-1967, israeli sector of Jerusalem nor has it been clearly specified which arabs palestinians Jordani ans pan arabs should have Eastern control. Vatican experts say any change in the Vatican s Long stand to keep Jeru Salem As a City freely open to All be Lievers depends on what newly elected Pope John Paul i decides. But the fact that he has confirmed the same prelates who served under his predecessor appears to indicate the Vatican would follow the same policy it took during the pontificate of the late Pope Paul i the experts say. The new Pope has praised the Camp David Summit in general terms but has no mentioned the Issue of Jerusalem. After the 1967 seizure by Israel Pope Paul staunchly maintained that Jerusalem should be assured a special International stature with guaranteed free Access for Al religions. He did not spell out How the guarantees would be enforced or by whom. The late Pope s most explicit and recent references to Jerusalem came this year when he met in separate audiences with israeli foreign minister Moshe Dayan an president Anwar Sadat of Egypt. Addressing Dayan in january at the Vatican Pope Paul said in the Complex problem of the Middle East we have particularly at heart the question of Jerusalem and the holy places and we fervently Hope for a Solu Tion that will not Only satisfy the legitimate aspirations of those concerned but also take into account the preeminently religious character of the holy in april Pope Paul told Sadat that the question of Jerusalem and the holy places must be resolved with due regard tothe millions of followers of the three Mono theistic Friday september 29, 1978 the stars and stripes Page
