Planners Amid the Storm: Planning and Politics in the Contested Metropolitan Area of Jerusalem

This chapter delves into the contentious nature of the planning process in the metropolitan area of Jerusalem by examining the role played by planners; it investigates the complex and nuanced relation between planners and con" ict by observing how contextual factors shape the planning process and determine its outcomes, and how planning is embedded in the surrounding society. As far as the relation between planning and politics is concerned, Jerusalem represents a rather exceptional case study because of the partisan urban policies developed by Israel after the reuni! cation of the city in 1967. Still, we maintain that the observation of such an exceptional case study can be useful in advancing our understanding of the relation between planning, con" icts and power.