Damascus Gate: East Jerusalem’s Flashpoint

Since stabbings, vehicular attacks and shootings became virtually daily occurrences last October, certain locations have repeatedly been the scene of Palestinian attacks on Israelis. Jerusalem’s Damascus Gate is one such place that has seen more than its fair share of bloodshed during the last four months.

 

Security at the site is conspicuously high because of the repeated assaults there, so why do attackers choose the same location time and time again, knowing that the police stationed there are on their guard? And what price do Palestinians passing through the gate pay as a consequence?

 

The approach to Damascus Gate is shaped like a Roman theater, with a semi-circular set of stairs leading down from the adjacent street to the base of the Ottoman-era walls and gatehouse. The gate, which connects East Jerusalem with the Old City’s Muslim Quarter and Al-Aqsa Mosque, has traditionally served as a meeting place for traders, shoppers, tourists and locals alike.

 

Not so much these days.

 

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