Today, as always since 1948, the Jerusalem issue is crucial for the attainment of a just peace in the Middle East. This is all the more the case since the Trump administration decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, and to move the US embassy there. The city is also a microcosm of nearly all the intense challenges that face Palestinians. Whether it's restriction of movement, a multiplicity of residency regimes that split families, a vastly discriminatory legal system, or the denial of refugee rights, each of these challenges is also faced by Palestinians far beyond the city itself. Host Helena Cobban will explore these issues with Rashid Khalidi. This conversation will highlight Israeli policies in a number of areas including residency and movement, control of property, and international law; Palestinian initiatives to retain and restore their long-denied rights; and how US policy affects these dynamics.
Rashid Khalidi: is Editor of the Journal of Palestine Studies and Edward Said Professor of Arab Studies at Columbia University. He is the author of several books including Sowing Crisis: American Dominance and the Cold War in the Middle East.
Helena Cobban: is President of Just World Educational. A former columnist on global affairs for The Christian Science Monitor, she has also published several books on Palestinian politics and other Middle Eastern issues.