BBC reported today the death of one of Israel’s founding figures, Teddy Kollek, the former mayor of Jerusalem at age 95. Described as an Israeli Labor party veteran, he served as Jerusalem’s mayor for nearly 30 years. His uniqueness in that position stems from his philosophy of coexistence between Jews and Arabs, especially after East Jerusalem was occupied in 1967 and eventually annexed into Israel. This annexation of course remains controversial, and although Kollek sought to unify the city, he did so with full respect for the equality of rights for Israeli and Palestinian (Israeli Arabs) citizens alike living in the city. For that reason, he was loved and respected by many Palestinians, including those who continued to maintain aspirations for Palestinian statehood and a Jerusalem (Al Qads) capital for that state.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/...
The Jerusalem Foundation published a short biography of Teddy Kollek four years ago, which sums up his contributions to the coexistence of Jews and Arabs in Jerusalem.
Teddy Kollek was born on May 27, 1911 in a small town on the Danube River. He was named after the father of modern Zionism, Theodore Herzl.
Today, at the age of 91, Teddy Kollek stands as one of the most influential figures in the history of Jerusalem and Israel. His truly exceptional, life-long commitment to Israel began before he even emigrated from Vienna in 1935, at the age of 29.
While in Vienna, Teddy Kollek was involved in the Halutz pioneering movement in Europe. Once in Israel, he dedicated himself to "building a new society" and helped to found Kibbutz Ein Gev in 1937, the same year he married his wife Tamar. During World War II, Mr. Kollek served as a liaison between the Haganah and the Allied intelligence agencies in order to assist Jewish underground organizations in occupied Europe.
During Israel’s War of Independence, Mr. Kollek headed the Haganah’s clandestine operations in the US and the first Israel Defense Mission to America. At the same time, he forged contacts and friendships with individuals willing to support the young state of Israel, some of whom later became major contributors to Jerusalem.
With the establishment of the State, Mr. Kollek was appointed head of the American Desk of the embryonic Israeli Foreign Ministry. While subsequently serving as envoy to the United States, he headed the first fundraising campaign of the Israel bonds.
In 1952, Mr. Kollek was appointed by then Prime Minister David Ben Gurion as director-general of the Prime Minister’s Office, a position in which he served for twelve years. He developed a keen awareness of the complexities of life in Jerusalem during this time and, in 1964, spearheaded the opening of the world-renowned Israel Museum in the capital city.
When Prime Minister Ben Gurion asked Mr. Kollek to run for mayor of Jerusalem in 1965, he was hesitant, but finally agreed. That year, he won his first mayoral election – a position that he held for twenty-eight years.
In 1967, Mr. Kollek became the first mayor to preside over the reunified Jerusalem. The city was bursting forth with energy, excitement and countless challenges. Mayor Kollek faced the truly formidable task of uniting Jerusalem – not just on the map, but in the hearts and minds of the city’s diverse residents. He faced this challenge with the same vision and far-reaching activism that characterized all of his mayoral tenure.
Mayor Kollek realized that a divided city could not survive. He embraced the active push and pull of a city that is both ancient and modern. He acknowledged each person’s right to live in and be an active part of Jerusalem’s vibrant community. And he reconfirmed his conviction that every resident of Jerusalem – regardless of faith or national background – is entitled to equality of services and quality of life. Relying only on instinct – rather than precedent – to guide him, Mayor Kollek succeeded in transforming Jerusalem during one of her most difficult eras.
Mayor Kollek helped to place the modern face on the ancient city. He recognized and guarded the sacredness of each holy site within Jerusalem’s boundaries, spearheaded the development of new neighborhoods, built public parks and schools, and created world-class cultural institutions. And he reached out and reminded the Jerusalem community, the Israeli community and even the international community that Jerusalem is a city of timeless beauty and significance.
Kollek’s vision of Jerusalem changed with his defeat in 1993 by the right wing Likud candidate, Ehud Olmert, the current PM, who eventually began a program of ethnic cleansing of East Jerusalem through discriminatory laws and policies that effectively encouraged the subtle transfer of Palestinians out of the city.
Crossposted at Eternal Hope: http://eternalhope.blog-city.com/