Jerusalem Unbound [antikvár]

INTRODUCTIONOnly when borders disappear does the need arise to construct malls.-RÉGIS DEaBAI, f/flSf OES FHOHTIEHCSSTANDING ON THE Mount of Olives that looks down over the historic centre of Jerusalem, an observer w^ould be struck by several contradictory impressions. At first sight, she would notice the many and varied architectural styles that are scattered throughout the valleys and ridges belowr and even inside the walled Old City itself. From Chalcedonian shrines to Byzantine basilicas, from Mamluk domes and minarets to Ottoman fortifications, from British colonial facades to Israeli modernist high-rises and hotels, these all reflect the consecutive conquests and occupations that the city has been subjected to. Also from this vantage point, a long-sighted observer would notice, despite its prominence in the world's media and corridors of power, how small the city is. Comprising less than i million inhabitants, on a clear day one can see the outer limits of the city in all directions.' Indeed, when traffic is light you can drive from north to south or from east to west in less than ten minutes. The astute observer would also surely notice a revealing absence in the landscapeno chimney stacks and smoke polluting the airboth telltale signs of the lack of heavy industry, of manufacturing, and of mining industries. This would lead our observer to register the barrenness of the surrounding hiUs, the paucity of the agricultural hinterland especially in the dry summer months, and the absence of large stretches of parkland and treesall indicating a scarcity of water. A reflective observer would then ponder as to why such a small city with so little