“Jerusalem should be open and available to all”: A Conversation about Jerusalem Story with Kate Rouhana

Abstract

In this interview, Kate Rouhana, Founding Director of Jerusalem Story , sheds light on the website’s mission to offer in-depth research, analysis, and coverage of the Palestinian community in Jerusalem. The site blends rigorous research with journalistic and personal narratives, offering a comprehensive account of the city’s realities. Rouhana emphasizes that while Jerusalem is a cherished world heritage site that should be accessible to all, the on-the-ground reality is starkly different. The city was seized by Israel, and subsequent planning and policy decisions have been driven by an officially sanctioned demographic agenda, one aimed at maintaining a Jewish majority through settlement expansion and land confiscation. Against this backdrop, Jerusalem Story seeks to document and amplify the lived experiences and voices of Palestinians in the city.