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.

Israeli think tank urges tougher measures against Turkish consulate, limiting diplomatic presence

Among the recommendations are revoking diplomatic benefits, canceling work visas, restricting freedom of movement in Israel, and removing immunity from diplomatic vehicles.

JULY 14, 2026|ByANNA BARSKY

View of the Turkish Embassy in Tel Aviv on August 26, 2021.

Elisha Wiesel, Elie Wiesel's son, keeps his father's leagcy and memory alive

Elie Wiesel's son rejects Rahm Emanuel's 'pariah' verdict on Israel

From Auschwitz to the UN, Elisha Wiesel describes the lessons he inherited from his father and the battle he believes must now be fought over language and memory.

JULY 14, 2026|ByJERUSALEM POST PODCASTS

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men clash with police during a protest against construction work on the Jerusalem Light Rail in the Bar-Ilan area of Jerusalem, June 8, 2026.

Protesters block Jerusalem roads, target light rail construction site

Police used crowd dispersal measures after protesters blocked roads near Jerusalem’s Bar Ilan Street and refused orders to leave.

JULY 14, 2026|ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

The colors of each sinkhole come from minerals, salt, clay, and water.

PremiumPremium

'A living landscape': Photographing the Dead Sea, Judean Desert, and Jerusalem

From Jerusalem’s ancient streets to the shifting shores of the Dead Sea, one Israeli photographer documents a land that refuses to stand still

JULY 13, 2026|BySHIMON PERLSTEIN

Jerusalem Grand Slam 2026 to welcome athletes from 29 countries

Top Israeli and international athletes will compete at Givat Ram as the Jerusalem Grand Slam 2026 offers key ranking points ahead of the European Championships.

JUNE 26, 2026ByTHE MEDIA LINE STAFF

Track and field athletes ahead of the Jerusalem Grand Slam.

Supermarkets containing drugged baby food barred from selling edible products, cosmetics

According to the Health Ministry, a total of five tainted products were found during the investigation, with three handed over by customers and two found on store shelves.

JUNE 25, 2026ByTZVI JASPER

Baby food at the Rami Levy supermarket in Jerusalem on February 3, 2022.

Jerusalem Film Festival announces international lineup featuring award winners, cult classics

The international lineup, which includes feature films, documentaries, animated films, and experimental works, will be screened in the Jerusalem Cinematheque and at Lev Smadar.

JUNE 24, 2026ByHANNAH BROWN

The Samurai and the Prisoner, the latest film by Japanese master Kiyoshi Kurosawa, will be shown in the festival.

Three minors arrested for attack on worshippers at Little Western Wall

The incident was observed by nearby surveillance systems, prompting an arrest operation. The suspects were detained and taken in for questioning, according to a police statement.

JUNE 21, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

A Jewish woman prays at the Little Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City, February 18, 2026.

Tzarfati Shimon launches phase 2 of Luria Project in Jerusalem's Moradot Arnona

Tzarfati Shimon Group is launching Phase B of the Luria Project in Moradot Arnona, one of Jerusalem's newest and most sought-after neighborhoods.

JUNE 21, 2026ByIN COOPERATION WITH TZARFATI SHIMON GROUP

Luria Project, Jerusalem Moradot Arnona.

Gush Etzion, Efrat, to be easily accessible to Jerusalem by light rail under new proposal

The proposed train line would mark the first direct rail connection between Gush Etzion and the capital, as the region continues to grow and make other major road improvements.

JUNE 21, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF