Jerusalem International Peace Treaty
A Vision for a Shared Holy City, Religious Freedom, and Lasting Peace
Jerusalem is a city of extraordinary spiritual, historical, and cultural importance. Its future should not be defined by the domination of one community over another, but by a durable system that protects the dignity, safety, and religious freedom of everyone who calls it sacred.
Introduction: A City Belonging to Humanity's Shared Heritage
Jerusalem is one of the most historically significant and spiritually meaningful cities in the world. For Muslims, it is home to Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of Islam's holiest sites. For Christians, it is central to the life, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For Jews, it is the historic and spiritual center of their faith, including the Western Wall and the Temple Mount.
Despite its extraordinary religious significance, Jerusalem remains at the center of one of the world's most complex political and territorial conflicts. Political disputes, military tensions, restrictions on religious access, and competing national claims have threatened the security and freedom of people who wish to worship in their sacred places.
Can Jerusalem become a city where Muslims, Christians, and Jews can practice their religions freely, safely, and without discrimination, regardless of political or national differences?
This proposal argues that it is possible—but it requires a new international agreement built on mutual recognition, religious freedom, shared responsibility, and independent protection. We propose a framework called the Jerusalem International Peace Treaty (JIPT).
1. The Core Vision: A Holy City Protected by International Guarantees
Jerusalem should not become the exclusive religious property of any one community. Instead, it should be recognized as a city of exceptional historical and religious importance, where the rights of all three Abrahamic faiths are protected through internationally guaranteed arrangements.
The purpose is not to merge religions or compromise their beliefs. Each religious community must retain its traditions, identity, institutions, and authority over its own sacred practices.
2. Establishing the Jerusalem International Peace Zone
The treaty would establish a special international protection framework for Jerusalem's Old City and its major sacred sites. This would not necessarily require the entire city to come under direct United Nations administration. Instead, it would create an internationally guaranteed system of governance, religious protection, and security oversight.
A. International Jerusalem Peace Council
An independent council, established through an internationally negotiated agreement, would include Israeli and Palestinian representatives, Muslim, Jewish, and Christian religious representatives, and international human-rights experts.
The council would oversee implementation, monitor religious freedom, and help resolve disputes. No single government or religious institution should have unilateral authority over the rights of other communities.
B. Independent Jerusalem Administration
A local administrative authority would manage civilian services, public infrastructure, pilgrimage coordination, public-safety coordination, access arrangements, and the protection of historical and cultural heritage. Local residents, both Israeli and Palestinian, must have meaningful representation.
3. Protecting the Three Religious Communities
The treaty must protect the existing religious identities and responsibilities of each sacred site.
Muslim Heritage
Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Haram al-Sharif compound. Preserve the historic role of the Islamic Waqf and guarantee Muslim worship.
Jewish Heritage
The Western Wall and other Jewish holy sites. Guarantee safe access, prayer, ceremonies, and protection of religious traditions.
Christian Heritage
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre and other Christian holy sites. Protect historic denominational rights, worship, and pilgrimage.
A. Muslim Religious Rights – Al-Aqsa Mosque
- Preserve the historic role of the Islamic Waqf in religious administration.
- Guarantee Muslims the right to perform daily prayers, Friday prayers, Ramadan prayers, and other religious activities.
- Prevent arbitrary restrictions on access to worship.
- Protect the religious character and historical integrity of the compound.
- Prohibit unilateral changes to established religious arrangements.
Jordan's historic custodial role and the existing Waqf administration should be respected.
B. Jewish Religious Rights – Western Wall and Jewish Holy Sites
- Guarantee freedom of prayer at the Western Wall.
- Protect Jewish religious ceremonies and traditions.
- Preserve access to recognized Jewish sacred sites.
- Protect religious institutions from violence, discrimination, and intimidation.
C. Christian Religious Rights – Church of the Holy Sepulchre and Other Holy Sites
- Protect the historical rights of Christian denominations.
- Guarantee access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and other Christian holy sites.
- Protect Easter celebrations and other major religious observances.
- Preserve existing arrangements among historic Christian communities.
- Ensure safe access for international Christian pilgrims.
Protecting one community's religious rights must never require restricting another community's legitimate religious freedom.
At sites where religious claims overlap geographically, such as the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif, existing religious arrangements should remain protected unless all relevant parties agree to changes through a peaceful and transparent process.
4. An Independent International Security Mission
Religious freedom cannot exist without physical security. A major weakness of any peace agreement would be allowing one political authority to exercise unchecked control over access to all sacred sites.
The treaty should therefore establish an independent international monitoring and protection mechanism. Its responsibilities would include:
- Monitoring security operations around major holy sites.
- Protecting worshippers and pilgrims from violence and intimidation.
- Observing access restrictions and investigating possible discrimination.
- Supporting security coordination during major religious festivals.
- Documenting violations of religious freedom.
- Publishing independent reports on security incidents.
- Recommending corrective measures when authorities violate the treaty.
The mission should operate under a clear international mandate, with the consent required under international law. It should not become an occupying force or replace legitimate civilian government. Its purpose must be to protect people, not to impose political control.
5. A Universal Religious Freedom Charter
The treaty should include a legally binding Religious Freedom Charter.
| RIGHT | PROPOSED INTERNATIONAL GUARANTEE |
|---|---|
| Freedom of worship | Every community can practice its religion. |
| Access to holy sites | No arbitrary religious restrictions. |
| Pilgrimage | International visitors receive fair and safe access. |
| Religious festivals | Safe arrangements for major religious occasions. |
| Religious identity | No discrimination based on faith. |
| Religious institutions | Protection of historic religious administration. |
| Legal protection | Independent investigation of rights violations. |
Security restrictions should only be permitted when there is a genuine, specific, and demonstrable threat. Such restrictions must be necessary, proportionate, temporary, non-discriminatory, and subject to independent review.
No government should be able to use security as a permanent justification for denying an entire religious community access to its sacred places.
6. Resolving the Political Question: Israel and Palestine
A sustainable peace agreement cannot ignore the political realities of Jerusalem. The treaty should not attempt to erase either Israeli national identity or Palestinian national aspirations.
A possible framework would include:
- West Jerusalem serving as Israel's capital.
- East Jerusalem serving as Palestine's capital, subject to a negotiated agreement.
- A special internationally guaranteed administrative and religious protection arrangement for the Old City and major sacred areas.
- Protection of the civil, residential, property, and political rights of all Jerusalem residents.
- Negotiated arrangements for borders, security, and access.
This approach could combine the two-state solution with a special international protection mechanism for Jerusalem's most sensitive religious areas. It would require direct negotiations and agreement between the relevant parties.
7. The United Nations and International Legal Framework
The idea of international protection for Jerusalem is not entirely new. In 1947, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 181, which proposed establishing Jerusalem as a Corpus Separatum—a separate international entity under a special international regime.
Although this arrangement was never implemented, it demonstrated that the international community had previously considered a special status for Jerusalem.
The Jerusalem International Peace Treaty would build upon the broader principles of that historical proposal while adapting them to present-day political and security realities.
The United Nations could facilitate negotiations, provide international legitimacy, support monitoring mechanisms, and help establish guarantees through an agreed legal framework. However, international support alone would not be sufficient. Implementation would require the meaningful participation and consent of Israelis, Palestinians, and relevant regional stakeholders.
8. Implementation: A Five-Stage Roadmap
A comprehensive international treaty cannot be implemented overnight. A gradual approach would be more realistic.
Each stage should have measurable objectives, independent verification, and a clear mechanism for addressing violations.
9. Challenges and Potential Obstacles
Political Sovereignty
Israel and Palestine have competing claims regarding Jerusalem. Neither side may readily accept international restrictions on its authority.
Security Concerns
Years of violence and mistrust have created serious security concerns among both Israeli and Palestinian communities.
Religious Sensitivities
The overlapping historical and religious claims surrounding certain sacred locations make unilateral solutions particularly dangerous.
International Political Disagreements
Major international powers may disagree over the treaty's structure, enforcement, and political implications.
Local Consent
Jerusalem is not simply a collection of religious monuments. It is home to real communities with different identities, histories, and political aspirations. Any lasting agreement must protect the rights and interests of the people who live there.
These obstacles are substantial, but they do not make the objective impossible.
10. A Fundamental Principle: No Religion Should Need Political Permission to Exist
The most important message of this proposal is simple:
- A Muslim should not fear being prevented from praying at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
- A Jew should not fear being prevented from praying at the Western Wall.
- A Christian should not fear being prevented from worshipping at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
No person should face discrimination, intimidation, or violence because of their religious identity. At the same time, no community should use its religious claims to deny the legitimate rights of another.
The freedom of one religion must never depend on the suffering or restriction of another.
Conclusion: Jerusalem as a Symbol of Peace, Not Division
Jerusalem has witnessed centuries of religious devotion, political conflict, conquest, and suffering. Yet its future does not have to repeat its past.
The city could become an international example of how deeply rooted religious differences can coexist under a framework of equal human dignity, mutual respect, and legal protection.
The Jerusalem International Peace Treaty is a proposal for that future. It does not demand that Muslims abandon their attachment to Al-Aqsa, that Jews abandon their historical connection to Jerusalem, or that Christians surrender their spiritual heritage.
Instead, it asks all parties to recognize a fundamental truth: Jerusalem does not need one religion to defeat another. It needs a system in which no religion can dominate another.
Let Jerusalem become a city where faith is protected, worship is free, and peace is stronger than political division.
Dome of the Rock: Wikimedia Commons (photograph by Imhotep tep; CC0 1.0).
Western Wall: Wikimedia Commons (Danielrosehill, CC BY 4.0).
Church of the Holy Sepulchre: Wikimedia Commons (David Shankbone, CC BY 3.0).
Images are loaded from Wikimedia Commons and therefore require an internet connection.
