Topic > Jerusalem: from a spiritual city to a chaotic place

As the famous Benjamin Disraeli once stated 'The vision of Jerusalem is the history of the world; it is more, it is the story of the earth and the sky'. Jerusalem is a sacred and ancient city that holds great significance in the history of humanity as well as in the three largest monotheistic religions: Judaism, Isla and Christianity. It is a hallowed city that is special in every sense of the word, a land of religious and historical importance, holy to a third of the world's population. The question then arises: How did a spiritual city as such evolve into the chaotic and dangerous place it is today? Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Throughout the city's long history, Jerusalem has been constantly attacked and destroyed, resulting in its inhabitants living in a perpetual state of fear even to the present day. On August 9, 2011, a young Palestinian carrying a guitar case casually walked into the heart of West Jerusalem and disappeared into the crowd. No one could have imagined that a deadly suicide bomb full of nails, screws and bolts was hidden inside the guitar case. Its explosion caused the deaths of 15 innocent people, leaving many families and communities devastated. Roads were blocked and checkpoints placed around every corner of the city. Emergency vehicles and ambulances occupied the surrounding streets as the victims' flesh was carefully collected for a proper burial. This attack was not only a national crisis for Israel, but also a wake-up call for the government. Jerusalem was slowly becoming a land of fear and danger. Public spaces were closely monitored and residents' mobility was also restricted following the attack. This has severely affected the country's functionality as property prices, tourism and foreign investment have dropped dramatically. It was at this time that the Israeli state political elite reevaluated the idea of ​​the West Bank wall, previously rejected due to high costs. This time the proposal to build a wall to separate Israel and Palestine was finally approved. Following the guidelines of the Oslo Agreement, the West Bank border was divided into three areas: A, B and C. In 2013, construction of the West Bank Barrier began, one of the largest infrastructures in the history of both countries. This unprecedented wall consisted of an extensive fence, ditches, barbed wire, combed sand paths, an electronic monitoring system, patrol roads and a buffer zone. The giant 28-foot-tall concrete slabs that sit on the grounds of Jerusalem and three other cities prevent snipers from firing at Israeli vehicles and homes. Although this barrier had successfully reduced the chances of attacks and terrorism, its construction was indirectly changing the lives of many. The barrier's route has been revised several times due to ongoing international and legal pressure. Changes were also made to minimize the lives of people near the wall, especially farmers and Palestinian residents. While these changes were intended to reduce the disruption this wall had caused to nearby residents, it still left some destructive and irreversible impacts. In 1967, Palestinian residents living in East Jerusalem were granted "permanent residency" status after the Israeli invasion. employment. This means that they could move and work in all districts of Israel. Furthermore, these residents are entitled to various benefits such as pension, disability, unemployment, poverty and family allowances..