Jerusalem

Jerusalem is an ancient city and capital of the State of Israel, located in the center of the country. The Palestinian Authority also lays claim to Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital.

Jerusalem is considered a holy city by major religions, chiefly Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Jerusalem is a host to many religious sites, especially within the walls of the old city. The Temple Mount is remains of the Jewish temples, and the holiest site in Judaism. Jews often pray at the Western Wall, or Kotel, a retaining wall for the Temple Mount built by Herod the Great. On the temple mount now sit the al-Aqsa and Dome of the Rock mosques, the former being the 3rd holiest site in Islam. Several chirstian sites, such as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, are important to many sects of Christianity.

As it is the political capital of Israel, Jerusalem is home to the Israeli parliament, the Knesset. There are also ministries that have their headquarters in Jerusalem, such as the Foreign Ministry. The status of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is not recognized by all international actors. However, embassies of states such as the US reside in Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built on several hills, and has a cooler climate than many other major cities. One of its aesthetic features is that buildings are made with Jerusalem stone, a pale white-yellow limestone.

Jerusalem has been the center of Jewish life since Davidic times. In its history, it has been conquered and destroyed dozens of times by invading armies and empires. However, there has always been a Jewish presence in Jerusalem. In late 1800 Ottoman censuses, Jews were a majority of the population of Jerusalem. However, Jerusalem was set to be an international city in initial partition plans in the late 1940s. Following the Israeli War of Independence, Jerusalem was split between east and west, with the east side being in the possession of Jordan. In 1967, Israel retook east Jerusalem, and the bulk of Jewish holy sites. In 1980, the Knesset passed the “Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel” which establishes a united Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and under complete Israeli sovereignty.

Jerusalem

Twenty-four years of new olim: Nefesh B'Nefesh welcomes its 100,000th immigrant to Israel

Two women, four minors indicted in Benayahu Razi case in Jerusalem, face murder charges

Jonathan Pollard plants a vineyard for Esther - and reflects on the love that brought him home

Olga Deutsch: Exposing the dark underbelly of human rights groups - interview

UNESCO joins Palestinians in rewriting Jewish history in Judea and Samaria - opinion

Haredi demonstrators, counterprotestors clash at sixth consecutive Shabbat protest of Basimta Cafe

How a Connecticut Torah scroll traveled 50 years, and thousands of miles, to make aliyah - opinion

New York must heed the warning signs before we ask, 'How did this happen?' - opinion

Jerusalem’s Armenians are under attack, and the world is looking away - opinion

Jerusalem highlights: August 7-13

Some 25 years after the Sbarro bombing, one family is fighting to bring Ahlam Tamimi to justice

Jordan condemns Israeli policies in Al-Aqsa, Temple Mount, calls to end 'escalation'

East Jerusalem man detained over alleged social media incitement, support for terrorism

Jerusalem establishes new accelerator initiative to expand role in Israel’s defense‑tech sector