What Does Green Really Mean? Towards Reframing Jerusalem’s Planning Policy

Several factors differentiate Jerusalem from other cities: firstly, being an important religious centre for three of the world’s central monotheistic religions; and secondly, being claimed as national capital by two contenders, placing it in the vortex of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. The multidimensional nature of its divisions places Jerusalem in a uniquely difficult and symbolic situation when attempting to resolve its internal and external tensions. Below the widely debated geopolitical and historical arguments lie more concealed levels of tensions imbedded in daily practices. Similar to most other cities, the socio–political context manifests itself in the urban form. However, unlike other cities, planning policy is geared to cater for one part of the population, with sharp differences in the levels of investment in urban infrastructure and the public realm.