City of Stones
This book is a political and historical study of the holy city of Jerusalem andits periods from the biblical era to the present. Beginning with a discussion ofthe contrasting versions of Jerusalem’s history presented by Palestinian Arabsand Israeli Jews, the author goes on to examine the way the radically opposedgoals and aspirations of both sides results in conflicts. The author concludes thatthe stalemate over Jerusalem’s future is a “condition” that can be dealt with onlyby a “process oriented” and not “solution oriented” approach. The participantsmust deal with the problems caused by the existing conditions. This book representsa dissenting Israeli view of the problem.Meron Benvenisti, a former deputy mayor of Jerusalem whose authorityincluded the administration of the eastern side of Jerusalem and the Old City, ishighly qualified to write an unfalsified history of the Holy City.In his book Ciry ofstone, the author tried his best to demonstrate multisidedhistorical, demographic, cultural, religious, and political opinions, together withthe citizen’s feelings, without victors or vanquished.As I read the eight chapters of this precious book, I found that some issuesneeded clarification. and some questions needed answers ...