By Menachem Wecker
In biblical times, the city of Jerusalem was called “Yerushalayim,” which derives from the Hebrew root “shalem,” meaning “whole” or “complete.” Nir Barkat, the mayor of Jerusalem, hopes to revive his city’s ancient reputation as a global center for pilgrims of all faiths and to thus restore its completeness.
In his introduction, GW President Steven Knapp praised Amb. Edward “Skip” Gnehm, B.A. ’66, M.A. ’68, Kuwait Professor of Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Affairs and director of the Elliott School of International Affairs’ Middle East Policy Forum, which hosted the event. On a recent trip to the Gulf region, Dr. Knapp and Amb. Gnehm shared long flights and car rides. “I felt as if I was receiving a graduate degree in international affairs,” Dr. Knapp said.
Speaking to about 200 people at the Elliott School, Mr. Barkat admitted his city is experiencing hard times. “Think of a conflict -- we had it big time,” he said, citing disputes between ultra-Orthodox and secular Israelis, between Jews and Arabs, and between the rich and the poor.
Jerusalem’s economic situation is no rosier in Mr. Barkat’s estimation. The average Jewish income in Jerusalem is $16,000 a year, compared with $24,000 a year in the middle of the country, which he said explains the “mass migration” out of Jerusalem. Arab Jerusalemites, however, earn $4,000 a year, compared with $800 a year in Gaza, so Arabs are moving to Jerusalem.
“Unfortunately, Jerusalem has become the poorest city in the country over the past 20 years,” he said.
To Mr. Barkat, who was an entrepreneur before becoming mayor, this situation is inexcusable, particularly given Jerusalem’s unparalleled location. “Anywhere you put a shovel, you strike a piece of Jewish history,” he said of the ancient city. “What we find in a week, the world doesn’t find in a year.”
Yet, when Mr. Barkat crunches the tourist numbers with his peers New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Rome Mayor Giovanni Alemanno, his city comes up short. In 2008, New York City drew 48 million tourists, and Rome attracted 40 million. A mere 2 million tourists visited Jerusalem in 2008, a number that Mr. Barkat hopes to see rise to 10 million per year by 2019.
So why has the “heart and soul of the Jewish people around the world” and the ultimate pilgrimage destination for the religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam for centuries become such a ghost town for tourists? Mr. Barkat shared a few hunches.
“It is very important to have a customer-centric approach in Jerusalem to the rest of the world,” he said. Jerusalem used to be one of the top 10 destinations for conferences, but its convention center is 30 years old, so it is time for an upgrade. Mr. Barkat is also creating tax incentives for hotels in the city. If Jerusalem can hit his 10 million tourist goal over the next decade, Mr. Barkat estimates 140,000 jobs will be created.
Mr. Barkat was asked by George Washington Today how he thinks the Obama administration’s Middle East policy affects his vision for Jerusalem. “We are not sure we understand the current policy,” he said. Israel could afford to do a better job communicating its own message, he said, but “right now there is not enough engagement, if you ask me.”
A relationship that is thriving is the one between Israel and GW, Mr. Barkat said. One member of the group that traveled with the mayor from Jerusalem was Stephan Miller, an aide to Mr. Barkat and a GW alumnus who earned a bachelor’s degree from the Elliott School in 2008.
“I want to start by thanking you for your product, your alumnus Stephan,” Mr. Barkat began.
“Nowhere is our reach more evident than at the Elliott School,” Dr. Knapp echoed, mentioning Mr. Miller and calling the Middle East Policy Forum a “unique window” on the region.
In an interview after the event, Mr. Miller, whose thesis advisor and “true mentor” was Amb. Gnehm, said he first approached the Elliott School to host the event when he knew Mr. Barkat would be traveling to Washington.
Mr. Miller called the Elliott School’s “comparative advantage” its training in both theory and practice. “The broader GW experience is what prepares you to apply the knowledge you acquire in the practical sense,” he said.