https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0497-0683
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ABSTRACT
The urban planning evolution of Jaffa has been significantly shaped by political dynamics and conflict. Before 1948, Jaffa exhibited a diverse population and a distinctive urban layout reflective of its unique character. The British and Arab vision of the time aimed to expand and modernize Jaffa's urban fabric; however, the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 led to a reevaluation of urban plans to accommodate a growing Jewish population and their vision for a modern city. Focusing on specific neighbourhoods, this article delves into the intricate interplay of social, political, and economic forces that have shaped Jaffa’s urban structure, planning strategies, and development outcomes. Through this examination, valuable insights emerge, shedding light on the role of planning in shaping the social fabric of cities navigating significant historical and geopolitical transitions. The article emphasizes the delicate balance between modernization imperatives and the preservation of cultural heritage, underscoring the significance of fostering social inclusion and pursuing equitable development.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
Notes
1 Sharon, “Jaffa.”
2 Kelani and Somes-Charlton, “‘Mother of the Stranger’,” 101.
3 Wahbeh, “Art is Artefact,” 179.
4 Omer, “Spatial configuration,” 206.
5 Yazbak, “Art is Artefact,” 256.
6 Avni, “So long, and thanks,” 681.
7 Rothbard, White city, black city, 2005; Al-Bawab, “Encyclopedia of Beautiful Yaffa.”
8 See Webster-Kogen, “The Last Mosque in Tel Aviv”; Foster, Arab historiography.
9 Segev, The first Israelis.
10 Radai, “Jaffa, 1948,” 29.
11 Golan, “Tel Aviv-Jaffa's municipal boundaries,” 1995, 388.
12 Zochrot.”Remembering the neighborhoods.”
13 Margalit and Vertes, “Planning allocations,” 235.
14 e.g. Said, “Palestine: memory, invention and space,” 8; Al-Bawab, “Encyclopedia of Beautiful Yaffa.”
15 e.g. Alroey, An Unpromising Land.; Halamish, “Yishuv: The Jewish Community”; Troen, Imagining Zion.
16 All British Mandate supported plans analyzed in this section, including the present plan, were sourced from the Israel State Archives, available at https://www.archives.gov.il/en/
17 Haikal, “Jaffa in its last years,” 29.
18 Sa’Di, “Catastrophe, memory and identity,” 188.
19 Almaligi, Yaffa – Urban Plan, 1946.
20 Almaligi, Yaffa – Urban Plan, 1946, 5.
21 Horwitz, “Master Plan for Tel Aviv-Jaffa,” 182.
22 Rothbard, White City, Black City, 2005.
23 Golan, “War and postwar transformation,” 1024.
24 Said, “Palestine: memory, invention and space,” 14.
25 Rabinowitz and Monterescu, “Reconfiguring the ‘mixed town’.”
26 Sa’Di, “Catastrophe, memory and identity.”
27 Schwake, “Post-traumatic urbanism.”
28 Mazawi and Khuri-Makhul, “Spatial policy in Jaffa,” 66.
29 Rabinowitz and Monterescu, “Reconfiguring the ‘mixed town’,” 209.
30 Levine, “New-Old Jaffa.”
31 Monterescu, Jaffa shared and shattered.
32 Monterescu, “Bridled bride of Palestine,” 645.
33 Bryman, “Disneyization of society,” 101; Leibovitz, “Faultline citizenship,” 68; Rossi and Vanolo, Urban political geographies.
34 Quoted in Riva, “Real estate is roiling in Jaffa.”
35 Goldhaber, “Jaffa Slope Project,” 51.
36 Interview with an architect from the Jaffa planning team, Tel-Aviv, September 14, 2023.
37 Meishar, “Meta-landscape architecture,” 42.
38 Meishar, “Social aftermaths,” 71.
39 Goldhaber, “Jaffa Slope Project.”
40 Kolodney and Kallus, “Colonial to national landscape,” 325.
41 Yiftachel, “'Ethnocracy',” 378; Yiftachel, Ethnocracy: Land and identity politics.
42 Yiftachel, “'Ethnocracy.”
43 Levine, “‘New-Old Jaffa’,” 252; Monterescu, Jaffa shared and shattered.
44 Interview with an Arab resident of Jaffa, Jaffa, September 12, 2023.
45 Levine, “New-Old Jaffa.”
46 Golan, “Battle for Jaffa,” 1004.
47 A copy of this plan can be accessed in the Israel State Archives. For reference, visit https://www.archives.gov.il/archives/Archive/0b07170680034d87/File/0b07170680699c66
48 Aleksandrowicz, “Civil Demolition,” 289.
49 Aleksandrowicz, “Camouflage of war,” 178.
50 Aleksandrowicz, “Civil Demolition,”
51 Golan, “Tel Aviv-Jaffa's municipal boundaries.”
52 Interview with an Arab woman living in Jaffa, Jaffa, September 13, 2023.
53 Hatuka, Violent acts and urban space.
54 Kaddar and Cohen-Hattab, “‘Riding the wave.”
55 Monterescu, “To buy or not to be,” 412.
56 Norris, “Repression and rebellion,” 33.
57 Cohen, “Direction of policy,” 250.
58 Hughes, Britain's Pacification of Palestine.
59 Gavish, “Operation anchor.”
60 A copy of this plan can be accessed in the Israel State Archives. For reference, visit https://www.archives.gov.il
61 Alfasi and Fabian, “Preserving urban heritage,” 143.
62 Amit-Cohen, “Synergy between urban planning,” 296.
63 Avitsur, “Namal Yafo,” 12.
64 Stern, “Tel Aviv Port,” 126.
65 Ibid.
66 Ibid.
67 Ibid.
68 TAMA, “Memorandum of the Tel Aviv Municipality,” 116.
69 Goren, “Save the national symbol,” 870.
70 Ibid.
71 Potdar, “Jaffa Port, Israel,” 89.
72 Israel Antiquities Authority, “Heritage conservation project.”
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Tony Rantissi
Tony Rantissi is a researcher and international development professional. Born and raised in Jaffa, he has witnessed firsthand its transformation over time. Through this paper, he seeks to shed light on the significance of urban planning initiatives, and their enduring impact on Jaffa's development trajectory.