COMMUNITY VIEWS

4 V.Si

'rt.P

Enjoying Pride Of Ownership

.

we call Jerusalem. It is the undeniable
have just returned from my first
homeland of Christianity, Islam and
trip to Israel. The country was
Judaism. How can all of these people
much prettier than I ever imag-
stake a claim to the same city as being
ined. From the beaches of the
exclusively their birthright?
Mediterranean Sea to the rich, fertile
As long as I occupy your
valleys of the interior, to the
land, you will fight to re-
desert mountains around
claim it. When you win it
Masada and the Dead Sea,
back, I will lay down my
the sights were spectacular.
life trying to win it once
But what amazed me most
again. The struggle for what
was how small the country is.
is "rightly mine" has under-
You could literally leave your
mined the peace in
house in Jerusalem in the
Jerusalem since the dawn of
morning, drive to Tel Aviv,
recorded history._
then up the coast through
Yes, the Jews control
Haifa, across the northern
Jerusalem. Yet it was only
JEFF CHUTZ
Galilee and the Golan, down
33 years ago when someone
Special to
the Jordan Valley, through
else controlled Jerusalem.
the Jewish News
the Negev Desert — and be
What have we learned since
back home in time for din-
1967 that we can use to
ner.
achieve peace today?
It is with that firsthand view that I
I believe pact of the answer lies in
now understand the emotions behind
the fact that Jerusalem has survived as
trading land for peace. There just isn't
a city throughout the centuries. Do we
that much to give up. However, I also
now insist on a solution for peace that
understand that it is the Jews who
excludes certain people or includes
now control much of the Jerusalem
certain areas? What if, instead of
holy land that is dear to other reli-
dividing this precious treasure into
gions. From the perspective of the
"my land" and "your land," we consid-
other religions, there never will be
er a solution that allows everyone to
peace as long as someone else controls
feel the same sense of entitlement to
what I believe is literally a God-given
their God-given right?
right.
There never will be peace in
Three of the world's greatest reli-
Jerusalem until everyone can enjoy the
gions can trace their roots to the jewel
pride of ownership. We can all own
the same possession. If true, it should
take nothing away from my possession
is
a
Bloomfield
Hills
resi-
Jeff Chutz
if you, too, will love, respect and
dent.

maintain your
possession. It is
called "sharing"
and we learned
that lesson in
kindergarten.
I humbly put
forth the follow-
ing solution.
Admittedly, this
is a simple pro-
posal. But when
I visit my home-
land again in the
future, I would
like to travel
throughout the
entire city of
Jerusalem,
knowing that I
am the rightful Jeff Chutz, right, in Jerusalem with, from left, son Ben, sister
owner of this
Karen, daughter Evie, son Zack and wife Debbie.
land that no
one is claiming
Muslim, Jew) and its mayor rotates
otherwise.
among the owners
Therefore, I offer Jerusalem as the
• All shareholder-owners contribute
first "world city."
funding and manpower for the city's
The proposal contains three key
maintenance and wellbeing
objectives:
• It is the indisputable capital of the
• Keep the city of Jerusalem intact
state of Israel
• Liberally define its borders
• It is the indisputable capital of the
• Assure it eternal peace as
newly created Palestinian state
humankind's first "world city"
Jerusalem will be forever in dispute
Jerusalem, as the first "world city"
and
peace will be forever elusive until
would look like this:
everyone
can say, "This is my
Its
borders
extend
from
the
ancient
•
birthright.
I own this land. I can walk
city in all directions
freely
through
it all and I share it with
Its
city
government
is
represented
by
•
the world." ❑
all shareholder-owners (Christian,

LETTERS

CNN Maintains
High Standards

I read with much interest Jacob
Schreiber's commentary on how CNN
refers to Jerusalem on CNN's Web site
("CNN Must Come Clean," Aug. 11,
page 38). I respectfully disagree with
his viewpoint on this issue.
I know from my 19 years at CNN
that the leaders and journalists at
CNN are committed to the highest
standards of journalism — accurate,
fair, responsible reporting. As the over-
seer of CNN's news coverage and
international networks, I assure you
that CNN is not for or against any
group, nation or issue.
I have met and admire many Israeli
and Palestinian leaders, and am proud to
Wpv, have many Jews and Muslims as col-
U

8/25

2000

38

leagues and friends. Additionally, I have
visited Jerusalem at least a dozen times,
think it is the world's greatest city, and
know the sensitivities and passions asso-
ciated with it. So I believe it would be
unfair of anyone to suggest that CNN's
aims regarding its Jerusalem reporting
are anything but impartial, fair-minded
and well-intentioned.
CNN erred in removing Jerusalem
from under the Israel heading in the
weather section on CNN's Web site.
CNN corrected the mistake, adding
an explanatory note on the Web page.
While the United Nations and some
nations have chosen not to recognize
it as such, Jerusalem is Israel's capital,
as the explanation on the CNN
Jerusalem weather Web page acknowl-
edges. I think it is appropriate, accu-
rate and fair for CNN to also point
out on the Web page that the fate of

part (not all) of Jerusalem is in dis-
pute, and that Palestinian and Arab
leaders consider part of Jerusalem the
capital of the prospective Palestinian
state. It is a statement of fact that does
not question the legitimacy of
Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
You state that CNN is playing "par-
tisan politics" and "taking sides" by
treating Jerusalem as unique. The real-
ity is Jerusalem is unique in religious,
historical and political terms. I take
issue with your claim that Tibet,
Nicosia and Taipei are like Jerusalem.
The leaders of the People's Republic of
China and Cyprus do not recognize
the legitimacy of the disputing parties,
and have not peacefully handed over
land to a disputing party. While
Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Barak has
offered to turn over part of Jerusalem
to Palestinian rule and recognize a

Palestinian state in exchange for a per-
manent peace, the leaders of Cyprus
and the People's Republic of China
have done nothing similar, and show
no sign of ever being willing to do so.
My colleagues and I respect the
views of good people on all sides of
the emotional issue of the status and
future of Jerusalem (many Arabs,
Palestinians and Muslims have voiced
outrage that CNN put Jerusalem back
under the Israel heading on the CNN
weather Web site). CNN, however,
must go its own way, reporting in a
way that its leaders deem fair regard-
less of whether that path results in
public praise or criticism.

Eason Jordan, president,

Newsgathering and
International Networks
CNN
Atlanta

