Annexing the Old City of Jerusalem
-
Tsahal Square is where Jaffa Street, previously West Jerusalem′s main thoroughfare and today a traffic-calmed shopping promenade, meets the walls of the Old City and East Jerusalem. This is also the route of the controversial tram, inaugurated in 2001, which provides attractive urban flair -
The main north-south traffic axis runs through a tunnel under Tsahal Square, thereby allowing pedestrians to conveniently walk to the Old City from West Jerusalem. From here, it's but a short stroll along the wall to the Jaffa Gate -
The walls of the Old City of Jerusalem are bordered by a green park area belonging to a national park, a great deal of which is located in no man's land -
Another way to reach the Old City from West Jerusalem is via the Alrov Mamilla shopping mall, which opened in 2007 and straddles the no man's land between East and West Jerusalem -
Until 1948, the site of today's shopping mall was a bustling business district. Some old buildings were torn down during the construction of the mall, but were rebuilt stone for stone, as the numbered building materials bear witness -
The shopping mall is a kind of open-air promenade and hosts both national and international fashion chains. The shopping street acts as a bridge to the Old City -
Exiting the Mamilla Mall, these stairs lead directly to the Jaffa Gate, which can be seen in the background and thereby to the Old City of Jerusalem. Israel police are often positioned here to conduct checks on Palestinians -
Looking out over the walls of the Old City towards the West, one sees the historic King David Hotel on the other side of the Hinnom Valley. The domes in the foreground belong to the David's Village apartment complex -
The David's Village apartment complex is a so-called gated community. The whole area is under video surveillance and there are guardhouses at the entrances. These features are meant to attract a wealthy clientele -
Many apartments in David's Village stand empty the whole year long, because most of the wealthy apartment owners come from the USA and Europe and only vacation in Jerusalem -
A billboard advertises the new Legacy apartment complex built next to David's Village by stressing references to history. In the process the developers hope to meet the expectations of affluent property investors from abroad -
The Teddy Kollek Park, named in honour of a former Jerusalem mayor, is located in the Hinnom Valley. In the background, one can see the walls of the Old City with the Tower of David, which plays a key role in promoting the mythology of Jerusalem -
Excavations in the lower part of the Hinnom Valley have brought to light the remains of Roman buildings. The information panel shows how archaeology and current political interests have become intertwined