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The Discriminatory "Status Quo" on Jerusalem's Temple Mount: An International Law Viewpoint
(Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) Amb. Alan Baker - Upholding an antiquated, biased, second-class status for Jews on Jerusalem's Temple Mount, a remnant of the 18th-century Ottoman Empire, violates all accepted international human rights and nondiscrimination norms and should logically no longer be relevant or sustained in modern international society. A new, remodeled status quo would need to guarantee reciprocal recognition of religious rights and observance of the components of a "culture of peace." A vital prerequisite for any definitive resolution of the dispute between Arabs and Jews is a logical and respectful remodeling of the antiquated status quo to be based on present-day international values and standards of fairness, equity, equality, and mutual respect, while protecting basic religious sensitivities and procedures. The writer is former legal counsel to Israel's Foreign Ministry and participated in the negotiation and drafting of the Oslo Accords with the Palestinians. This article originally appeared on August 10, 2022.