A term coined in 2000 during the Israeli–Palestinian negotiations (Camp David II) by Israeli negotiators who sought to differentiate the center of the city with its holy sites from the remainder of the city. Originating in a European need to define the “original” landscape described in the Bible and growing out of earlier European, colonial, and particularly British planning traditions, the term “Holy Basin” refers to the Old City (with its holy sites) and the open environs around it, including Silwan to the south of the Old City and the Mount of Olives to its east.
In 1974, the Israeli government established the Jerusalem Walls National Park around the Old City, covering an area of 1,100 sq km that became prohibited for building. The park was situated in a “special zone” of 10 km sq of territory in East Jerusalem only, abutting the Holy Basin and extending over Palestinian villages and neighborhoods including Sheikh Jarrah, Wadi al-Joz, al-Tur, Silwan, Abu Tor, and Ras al-Amud.
Israel and several settler organizations, including Ateret Cohanim, have been displacing Palestinians from the Holy Basin and settling Jews in their place for decades under the pretext that the basin contains important Jewish historic and religious sites.
Variously referred to as: Old City and environs, antiquity zone, archaeology zone, special zone, old City basin, Old City visual space, historic basin, religious basin, and heritage zone.