J.D. Perkin's Proposal

The story: The old city of Jerusalem is a small place. At night it takes 20 minutes to walk from wall to wall. In the daytime, it takes hours to weave through the busy markets. On some days gates may be sealed by security forces. The city has 4 quarters: Armenian, Christian, Muslim and Jewish. During the current intifada, despite Jerusalem's status as the most disputed territory, or perhaps because of it, violence there has been relatively slight. How do 4 communities live together in such a confined space?

Each community's children face their own problems. Jewish children, male and female face he inevitable prospect of several years military service on reaching the age of 18. For Christian, Muslim and Armenian children, they face discrimination in a Jewish-dominated workforce, and encroachment into their neighborhoods by illegal Jewish settlements. For the Christians, the past 50 years have been a story of emigration. Armenians are an aging population nursing memories of a forgotten genocide. Muslims, as the most active resisters of Jewish rule, pay a high price ­ sometimes in children's blood.

Children are both the future and the present of this conflict. How do they live? What do they think? What future do they have?

Topicality: With the election of Ariel Sharon looking to be a certainty, Jerusalem's status will no longer be up for negotiation. Peace, if any, will be on Israel's terms. Sharon owns a large house under 24-hour armed guard in the Muslim Quarter. More Jewish settlers will follow his lead following the election. Tensions will be running high as long as he is in office, and probably longer. Muslim children will continue to express their anger with stone ­ and will continue to be injured and killed.

The pictures: I will continue to work with black and white 35mm, using the available light and normal lenses. Jerusalem's narrow streets, strong shadows and many religious festivals provide a fantastic backdrop.

Logistics: Return to Israel, renew Israeli press accreditation. I have contacts amongst Muslim medical professionals who can introduce me to Israeli social services. I also have links with the Christian community. I have already arranged lodging. I wold plan to spend a minimum of 3 weeks on each quarter. I have some of the pictures I want for the Muslim quarter, but would return from time to time to follow up some of the children I have already photographed.