What is The  Jerusalem Forum

The Jerusalem Forum is an Amman-based non-governmental organization geared to educating, and exposing the human dimension of the Palestinian people and their attachment to their land; past and present. Its Internet site intends to tell the story of the Palestinian people in the hope of helping to build a growing database of documented, credible information for posterity. It will become interactive with the world, pass on the Palestinian message to a worldwide audience-- scholars and general interest readers alike-- and expose them to the existence of Palestinian culture, life, and history.

It may be observed that a significant portion of Jerusalemites' content centers around the Holy City. This is because Jerusalem is the embodiment and symbol of Palestine. Therefore, when speaking about Jerusalem it applies to Palestine as a whole.
Jerusalemites will put forward challenging topics written by various members and friends of Jerusalem Forum, will speak up for the Palestinians suffering under Israeli military occupation, will prove Palestinian existence (historically and in the present) and provide a forum to portray their daily life and their difficult experiences since 1948.

In this undertaking, a number of the pages may well be considered anti-Israeli, as the circumstances under occupation are extremely harsh. Jerusalemites in no way intends to alienate the positive, peace-loving forces of Jews in Israel and outside. However, in our quest to seek the truth about Palestinian recent history and existence, we have had to make known and reveal disturbing facts so that the world can learn about them.

Jerusalemites believes that it will be possible to clear the air, to come to a mutual Palestinian-Israeli understanding, and to speak on equal ground only when the truth becomes known.

Israel must acknowledge its past offensive and heinous behavior and must be held accountable for the numerous systematic and calculated attempts to destroy and degrade Palestinian dignity and existence.

Jerusalemites will achieve their goal through:

• Focusing on the human dimension. Jerusalemites will post pages that humanize the many atrocities inflicted upon Palestinians; these include torture, destroyed villages, and massacres. A children’s and memoirs page also serves to include a largely untouched niche. Some of the pages will use audio and video technologies as well as photographs.

• Focusing on Palestinian land. It is impossible to speak of Palestinians without referring to their homeland, usurped by Israel. Today, 22 per cent of Jews live in 85 per cent of Israel, all of which was Palestinian land during and before the British Mandate. Yet, 78 per cent of Jews live in the remaining shared lands, totaling just 15 per cent.

• Using first-hand accounts. Eye-witness testimonies are recognized as vivid, humane, and honest.

• Using original documents. Jerusalemites will also use factual material and documentation from credible sources.

In its endeavor to provide a true picture of the Palestinian attachment to their land as well as social, cultural, intellectual, and political relations, Jerusalemites aspires to be insightful, sincere, and credible.