Author Description

Governing Jerusalem describes the governance of a city that is - arguably more than any other city in the world caught up in the pressures of religious and ethnic competition. Drawing upon his twenty years as a resident of Jerusalem, as well as official documents, interviews, scholarly studies, and the mass media, Ira Sharkansky captures the unique traits of Jerusalem and relates its politics to what has been written about other cities. Rather than focus on what might happen, the book explains the city's governance by viewing, the period since 1967 against events and emotions much older. Two chapters survey the city's history from biblical times to the present. Subsequent chapters describe the institutions of Israeli government that are relevant to the city; the social, economic, and political setting in which governance occurs; and the style and substance of policymaking. The final chapter evaluates the quality of contemporary governance, explains issues that are prominent on agendas of one or another interested party, and offers alternative scenarios of what might occur. Without doubt, regional and global events will continue to create tensions and influence politics in Jerusalem, a city marked by divergent passions and volatile crusades. History indicates that Jerusalem will survive those who contend for it. Governing Jerusalem considers the competing opinions about the city's future and helps readers understand what may transpire, no matter what choices are made about individual issues.