Americans for Peace Now

Jerusalem is and will forever be the capital of Israel. Any rational policy must also recognize that: one-third of Jerusalem's residents are Palestinians; all Palestinians consider Jerusalem their capital and have deep political, economic, and religious ties to the city; and Muslims and Christians around the world are deeply connected to Jerusalem. For the sake of Israel's security and stability, a formula must be found to share the city between Israelis and Palestinians, and between Jews, Christians, and Muslims. 

The emergence of a Palestinian capital in Arab areas of Jerusalem does not undermine Israel's claim to Jerusalem as its capital. To the contrary, such a development would clear the way – at long last – for international recognition of Jewish Jerusalem, with a strong Jewish majority, as Israel's eternal capital. Even Israeli leaders on the right – like former Jerusalem mayor and Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert – have discussed the idea of giving the Palestinians sovereignty over the Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem. 

There is nothing sacred about the city's municipal borders, which were redrawn by Israel after the 1967 War to include large areas of the West Bank, home to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.  Since then, Israel has built Jewish neighborhoods in these areas in order to erase the pre-1967 border, reinforce the new municipal boundaries, and make the city indivisible.

Pragmatic, creative solutions exist to satisfy competing claims to Jerusalem and its holy sites; what is needed is the leadership, courage, and goodwill to explore them. 

American Task Force on Palestine 

1) A resolution of the issue of Jerusalem can only come about through direct negotiations between Israeli and Palestinian officials as an expression of their national policies. No other parties are entitled to negotiate on this issue.

2) Jerusalem is a central part of the present and futures of both Palestinian and Israeli societies, and is holy to Jews, Christians and Muslims around the world. Lasting peace can only be achieved by securing the political aspirations of both peoples and the religious rights of the three religions.

3) There can be no monopoly of sovereignty by either party. Jerusalem should remain shared and undivided. The occupation of Arab East Jerusalem must end and it should serve as the capital of the future state of Palestine. West Jerusalem should serve as the capital of Israel.

4) No religion or nationality can be privileged in Jerusalem. The right of access to holy places and the right of worship in the city must be guaranteed for people of all faiths from around the world.

5) Unilateral measures taken by Israel since 1967 and that continue until today, cannot be allowed to dictate or prejudice the final status of Jerusalem. Such measures include buildings, confiscation of land, barriers and walls, as well as political and legal documents. 

Brit Tzedek v’Shalom (Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace) 

Founding Principle #3 calls for a united Jerusalem that would serve as capital of both Israel and Palestine, with free and open access for all persons to all religious sites, but with two sovereign municipalities: one Israeli, with jurisdiction over the Jewish neighborhoods of Jerusalem, and the other Palestinian, with jurisdiction over the Arab neighborhoods of Jerusalem. We envision a negotiated settlement that would include in Jewish Jerusalem those Jewish neighborhoods built in East Jerusalem after the 1967 war, with exchange of territory to compensate the Palestinians for the land they cede to Israel. Such an arrangement is predicated upon cooperation and collaboration between the governments of the two countries.

Churches for Middle East Peace  

CMEP’s ten founding principles includes promoting the sharing of an undivided Jerusalem by the two peoples -- Israelis and Palestinians -- and by the three religious communities that call it sacred.   

In 1996, in its campaign, “Christians call for a Shared Jerusalem” CMEP echoed this position: “Jerusalem is a sacred city to Jews, Christians and Muslims, the children of Abraham.  All long for Jerusalem to be the City of Peace.  For most of its history, the fate of Jerusalem was determined by war.  Now the ancient hope for peace can become reality through negotiations.  Israeli leaders hold that Jerusalem should be Israel’s capital under the sole sovereignty of the State of Israel.  Palestinian leaders hold that traditionally Arab eastern Jerusalem should become the capital of a new State of Palestine.  As Christians committed to working for peace, we support a negotiated solution for Jerusalem that respects the human and political rights of both Palestinians and Israelis, as well as the rights of the three religious communities.  We urge Jews, Christians and Muslims to open dialogue on these issues.  Jerusalem at peace cannot belong exclusively to one people, one country or one religion.  Jerusalem should be open to all, shared by all…two peoples and three religions.  We urge the United States government to call upon negotiators to move beyond exclusivist claims and create a Jerusalem that is a sign of peace and a symbol of reconciliation for all humankind.”