Urban Development of Jerusalem under Jordanian Rule: Narrating the Jerusalem International Airport, 1948-1967

Abstract

This study argues that the establishment and expansion of Jerusalem Airport played a decisive role in the development of Jerusalem as a vibrant Arab metropolis, embedded within the social, political, and economic networks of the Arab region. It connected the city to Arab and Western capitals, attracted growing numbers of tourists and diplomats, and created a wide range of opportunities for Jerusalem's residents and the inhabitants of neighbouring Palestinian villages. The airport facilitated new investments and expanded and strengthened the ties of Palestinians, Jordanians, Kuwaitis, Saudis, Algerians, and Egyptians to the Arab city, transforming it into a cosmopolitan urban centre. It empowered the city's inhabitants and radically transformed its urban landscape. Israel's occupation of the airport and its severance from Arab Jerusalem after 1967 subsequently ushered in a period of decline following the urban emergence of Jerusalem under Jordanian administration.