top of page
DISCOVER AL-QUDS
Here you can read the story of Jerusalem: the history and present of its neighborhoods and villages, as well as the different policies of displacement that the Israeli occupation authorities implement to empty Jerusalem of its Palestinian residents.
We research Jerusalem’s history and current reality, and monitor the way the Israeli colonial projects are changing the city. We believe that this knowledge must support community mobilization, as it can be an important tool of confrontation and resistance.
DISPLACEMENT POLICIES
Historical Context
Today’s reality in Jerusalem is rooted in the historical developments of the not so distant past. Many people attribute the problem in...
7970
Which Jerusalem? Borders and Lines
When you look at different maps of Jerusalem, you’re likely to find different versions of the city. This is because Jerusalem’s...
5030
Legal Issues
Israel’s legal policy in Jerusalem since 1967 has been guided by political considerations designed to maintain what Israel calls a...
2201
Planning
Since the occupation of the eastern part of Jerusalem in 1967, occupation authorities have used urban planning as a tool to realize their...
3570
Education
Since 1967, Israeli education policies within municipal Jerusalem have been designed to rewrite Palestinian history and undermine...
2320
Economy
Like other aspects of Palestinian lives in Jerusalem, the economic reality created by the occupation authorities in the city is designed...
1620
Tourism
Due to its rich history and heritage, Jerusalem is a top tourist destination. Millions of people visit the Holy City every year,...
2930
The Politics of Foreign Aid
When researching the effects of foreign aid to formerly colonized countries, scholars like William Easterly (2003) and Bruce Bueno De...
3380
JERUSALEM COMMUNITIES
Qalandia
The village of Qalandia has been absent from our consciousness, as most of us associate the name Qalandia with the eponymous checkpoint...
1310
Beit Duqqo
The first thing that Beit Duqqu brings to mind is the word "land," even if it brought to mind several meanings: the village's magical...
1310
Anata
One could hardly call Anata a “village” today, as the Occupation’s policies and measures over the years have stripped Anata of its rural...
750
Qalandia Refugee Camp
Qalandia refugee camp was dubbed “The Fort of Martyr Bashir Nafeh” in honor of the man’s legacy of resistance. Nafeh was first detained...
520
Sharafat
Sharafat is a Bani Hasan tribe village in the Jerusalem Governorate. Other such villages include al-Walajah, Battir, al-Malhah, Beit...
410
Jaba
Three Palestinian villages carry the name “Jaba.” The Jerusalem village of Jaba is seldom noted in literature, perhaps because the...
250
Beit Anan
Known for its lush landscape distinguished by almonds and vineyards, Beit Anan is located 668 meters above sea level on the northwestern...
3760
Beit Surik
Beit Surik is a village of natural beauty that has managed to preserve its rural and mountainous characteristics, a pure landscape...
740
Beit Safafa
Chanting traditional ahazij (songs) that mourn the loss of land is common among the women of Beit Safafa. One such song says: Hand us a...
860
Beit Iksa
Beit Iksa is a stark example of the Zionist policies of siege and isolation, which suffocate the Old City of Jerusalem and sever it from...
950
Beit Ijza
Beit Ijza is situated in a small area among Jerusalem’s northwestern hills. This small village still maintains its Palestinian rural...
660
Al-Walajah
People often mistakenly assume al-Walajah to be a Bethlehem village, when it is in fact a Jerusalem village and has always been part of...
810
Al-Qubeiba
The village of Al-Qubeiba is situated at the beginning of a hill range that extends from Jerusalem in the east, westwards to the...
1150
Al- Sawahrah
The word "al-Sawahrah" refers to three areas of the Arab al-Sawahrah tribe located southeast of Jerusalem, namely al-Sawahrah...
240
Sur Baher and Umm Tuba
"O Palestine, make mention and record of us in the history books. Take note of those martyred and wounded in valleys and hills. On our...
220
Shuafat Refugee Camp
When traveling from the center for Jerusalem northwards along Highway 60, one can spot a stark, dense cluster of high-rises to the east,...
3030
Abu Dis
The old story goes that a hungry and lost folk poet, known by the name of Abu Issa al-Aqrabawy, ended up in the village of Abu Dis, where...
1080
Al-Issawiyah
Upon entering al-Issawiyah village, you will notice its walls, adorned with national slogans and graffiti that reflect the political...
1290
Al-Jib
Al-Jib is situated along two historic roads that once connected Jaffa and Jerusalem: Beit Ur Road (Lydda – Gimzo – Beit Ur – al-Jib –...
920
Al-Jdeirah
In 3,300 BC, the Canaanite King Jabin founded his kingdom on the lands of al-Jib village, with borders that extended beyond al-Jib’s...
810
Al-Nabi Samwil
Al-Nabi Samwil mountain is among the highest peaks in Jerusalem. From the rooftop of the mosque atop the mountain, one can view the...
580
Al-Ram
In recent memory, al-Ram was thought of as a commercial hub, mainly for the residents of north Jerusalem. This, however, did not last...
1000
Al-Sheikh Jarrah
Al-Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood is of great historical and socio-economic significance due to its geographic location on the road leading...
2650
Al-Tur
Al-Tur began as a small village perched atop the Mount of Olives, one of the most prominent mountains in Jerusalem at 826 meters in...
1970
Battir
South of occupied Jerusalem is Battir, a serene village known for its many orchards, rich history and archaeological significance. It was...
1660
Beit Hanina
Beit Hanina was historically famed for its fertile fields that were cultivated with olive trees, vegetables and fruit, especially...
1270
Biddu
The urban development of Biddu has been spurred by its location at the center of a cluster of seven villages located northwest of...
310
Bir Nabala
As one of Jerusalem’s commercial hubs in the recent past, a destination for shopping and recreation, where people also availed of...
350
Hizma
The name “Hizma” for many Jerusalemites is associated with the Hizma military checkpoint, which is often the second option, after...
720
Kufr Aqab
As you head north from Jerusalem to Ramallah, upon crossing Qalandia military checkpoint and passing Qalandia refugee camp, the landscape...
2130
Mikhmas
Upon entering Mikhmas, you may get a sense of what Palestinian villages would look like were it not for the occupation. The village is...
420
The Old City
Jerusalem has over the millennia been both a destination in and of itself and a junction leading many travelers on to other ends....
1950
Qatanna
The people of Qatanna sing a song about their village, which translates as follows: A valley where the birds recite a song, For whose...
750
Rafat
Four Palestinian villages share the name Rafat. In the Jerusalem Governorate, there is the northern village of Rafat, and to the west is...
850
Shuafat
Located five kilometers northwest of the occupied city of Jerusalem, Shuafat borders the villages of Anata from the east, al-Issawiyah...
770
Silwan
Silwan’s story brings together several layers of Jerusalem's history and its political and social reality. Historically, Silwan is deeply...
1,5550
Wadi al-Joz
Wadi al-Joz (Walnut Valley) is a steep one-kilometer-long valley. It is sometimes referred to as al-Wadi al-Sharqi (Eastern Valley), as...
1400
Policies
Communities
bottom of page