Abstract:
Jerusalem Airport played a vital role in the economic and social life of Jordanian-controlled Jerusalem (1948–1967), despite its basic infrastructure and its situation of operating under political and technical constraints, and subject to disruptive domestic and regional unrest. The unique draw of Jerusalem for Christian and Muslim pilgrims as well as the city’s ideal geographical location vis-à-vis the region as a whole established the small airport as the prime gateway to the city and to Jordan. It became a vital connection for middle-class and upper middleclass West Bank Palestinian residents to the outside world for the sake of work, study, and leisure. As such, it served as a critical link between Arab Jerusalem and the Arab world.