The future of Jerusalem is the most difficult issue facing negotiators, political and legal experts. In the current peace talks between Israel and its neighbours, it has been agreed to postpone discussion on Jerusalem to the latest stage of the peace process. But the Jerusalem question continues to come to the fore at every turn, always charged with intensely emotional and uncompromising statements: not only from those parties who are directly involved, but also by eminent personalities, organizations and states elsewhere.
The Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies has collected 55 proposals: 12 were written between 1916-1950 and 43 between 1967-1993. Their authors, coming from various countries, present various approaches to the three main issues at stake: sovereignty, holy places, and municipal governance. Whither Jerusalem? summarizes each of the 55 proposals, gives brief information about their authors, and analyzes the similarities and divergences between them. The official position of five states and organizations is included, as well as a lexicon of terms used by the authors of the proposals.