13-02-25 Jerusalem: Zion Square and the Evil Cathedral

A case study in the Freedom of Assembly, Freedom of Speech in Jerusalem and beyond:

For almost a century, Zion Square has been one of the most prominent public spaces Jerusalem.  Now, officially, it ceased longer exists. Pursuant to International Law and United Nations resolution in 1947 (also accepted by then Jewish leadership in Palestine), Jerusalem is Corpus Separatum.  That status is more essential today then before, since as Corpus Separatum Jerusalem is likely to emerge as a global Free Speech center.

* 1930s - Zion Square with the original 6-way intersection, round about design.

The square was originally designed as a 6-was intersection, reflecting the Zionist Magen David.  Another 6-way intersection was designed during the same period in Tel Aviv.

* 1948 - Here Menahmem Begin (late prime minister) made his first public appearance upon British withdrawal from Palestine, emerging from years in the underground.

* 1952 - Mehanem Begin apppears in a demonstration against Ben Gurion'S reparation agreement with Germany.

* 1971 - An effigy of Prime Minister Golda Meyer was burnt in Zion Square as part of violent  social protest.

* 1975 - major PLO terrorist explosion kills 13.

* 1995 - during a right wing demonstration, with then opposition leader Netanyahu (today Prime Minister) then Prime Minister Yitzhaq Rabin was represented as a traitor.  The demonstration, which later turned violent, was described already then as incitement to Rabin's murder.  A Secret Service sabotage agent Avishai Raviv, which was later documented in court papers as central to the successful assassination plot against Rabin, was also central in agitating during the demonstration.  Later, a prominent right wing politician was quoted as saying Rabin was to blame for his own assassination, since the Secret Service reported directly to the Prime Minister...

* 2000s - the blocks around Zion Square were particularly targeted for terrorist bombings during the Intifadah.  Numerous cases in the surrounding blocks.

* 2004 Zion Square Right wing demonstration against unilateral withdrawal from Gaza.

* 2011 Zion Square - Social Protest demonstration

* 2011-2  Events, which were described in Hebrew dailies as "lynching" by Jewish mob against Arab youths.

* 2012 renovation of the square is completed.  It is no longer a 6-way intersection.  The main design now is a pentagon. The old Zion cinema theater has been replaced with a Bank HaPoalim tower.

* 2012 - under Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu. the public was informed that Zion Square was "privatized", and no more demonstrations would be permitted on location. [1]

LINKS:
[1] 12-05-28 Demonstrations prohibited in Zion Square_Haaretz
http://www.haaretz.co.il/news/education/1.1717910