The unemployment rate in Jerusalem (8.3%) is slightly better than the national average (9.0%), although the civilian labor force accounted for less than half of all persons fifteen years or older—lower in comparison to that of Tel Aviv (58.0%) and Haifa (52.4%). [330] At the end of 2005, the population density was 5,750.4/km2 (14,893/sq mi). God TV, an international Christian television network is also based in the city. [421] While many schools in the heavily Arab East Jerusalem are filled to capacity and there have been complaints of overcrowding, the Jerusalem Municipality is building over a dozen new schools in the city's Arab neighborhoods. On 10 July, Foreign Minister Abba Eban explained to the UN Secretary General: "The term 'annexation' which was used by supporters of the vote is not accurate. ABM—which pledged allegiance to ISIL in November 2014, becoming ISIL’s Sinai Province—seeks the destruction of Israel and the establishment of an Islamic emirate and implementation of sharia in the Sinai Peninsula. [410] The library opened in 1892, over three decades before the university was established, and is one of the world's largest repositories of books on Jewish subjects. In 2010, Israel approved legislation giving Jerusalem the highest national priority status in Israel. [353], Critics of efforts to promote a Jewish majority in Jerusalem say that government planning policies are motivated by demographic considerations and seek to limit Arab construction while promoting Jewish construction. This heart and soul of the Jewish people engenders the thought that if you want one simple word to symbolize all of Jewish history, that word would be 'Jerusalem. Islamic and Jewish holidays begin the evening preceding the date shown unless stated otherwise. Bayt Al Maqdis Jerusalem and early Islam 1999 The articles in these volumes look at the different aspects of the architecture and the intentions of the builders in establishing this complex. The Kidron, Hinnom, and Tyropoeon Valleys intersect in an area just south of the Old City of Jerusalem. The Jerusalem Cinemateque, the Gerard Behar Center (formerly Beit Ha'Am) in downtown Jerusalem, the Jerusalem Music Center in Yemin Moshe,[435] and the Targ Music Center in Ein Kerem also present the arts. The material culture of the region exhibits numerous common points between Israelites and Canaanites in the Iron I period (c. 1200 – 1000 BC). [214], In contradiction to the Partition Plan, which envisioned a city separated from the Arab state and the Jewish state, Israel took control of the area which later would become West Jerusalem, along with major parts of the Arab territory allotted to the future Arab State; Jordan took control of East Jerusalem, along with the West Bank. Resolution 181 (II). 37% of the population is Palestinian, but only 10% of tax revenues are allocated for them. Jerusalem's population size and composition has shifted many times over its 5,000-year history. [354] According to a World Bank report, the number of recorded building violations between 1996 and 2000 was four and half times higher in Jewish neighborhoods but four times fewer demolition orders were issued in West Jerusalem than in East Jerusalem; Arabs in Jerusalem were less likely to receive construction permits than Jews, and "the authorities are much more likely to take action against Palestinian violators" than Jewish violators of the permit process. [136] In about 445 BCE, King Artaxerxes I of Persia issued a decree allowing the city (including its walls) to be rebuilt. "Jerusalem became the center of the Jewish people some 3,000 years ago" Moshe Maoz, Sari Nusseibeh. For other uses, see, From upper left: Jerusalem skyline looking north from, Overview of Jerusalem's historical periods, Divided city: Jordanian and Israeli rule (1948–1967), Government precinct and national institutions. Israel captured East Jerusalem from Jordan during the 1967 Six-Day War and subsequently annexed it into Jerusalem, together with additional surrounding territory. Unlike public schools, many Haredi schools do not prepare students to take standardized tests. Shamir, Ronen (2013) Current Flow: The Electrification of Palestine. [105] The city's inhabitants at this time were Canaanites, who are believed by scholars to have evolved into the Israelites via the development of a distinct Yahweh-centric monotheistic belief system. [279] [253], In 1988, Israel ordered the closure of Orient House, home of the Arab Studies Society, but also the headquarters of the Palestine Liberation Organization, for security reasons. The average size of Jerusalem's 180,000 households is 3.8 people. According to plans, the first rail line will be capable of transporting an estimated 200,000 people daily, and has 23 stops. However, the group views the West, and the United States in particular, as supporters of Israel and Egypt and expresses anti-Western sentiment in its rhetoric. [93][94] Shuafat lies about 6 kilometres north of Jerusalem's oldest historical part, the so-called City of David, and about 5 kilometres north of the walled Old City. [346], At the end of 2008, the population of East Jerusalem was 456,300, comprising 60% of Jerusalem's residents. [369][370][371], Jerusalem is the third-holiest city in Sunni Islam. (pp. According to the poll, 40% of Palestinian residents would prefer to leave their neighborhoods if they would be placed under Palestinian rule.[273]. [178], In 1099, the Fatimid ruler expelled the native Christian population before Jerusalem was besieged by the soldiers of the First Crusade. We'll never divide our heart. Read reviews from world’s largest community for readers. [244] On 18 April 1968, an expropriation order by the Israeli Ministry of Finance more than doubled the size of the Jewish Quarter, evicting its Arab residents and seizing over 700 buildings of which 105 belonged to Jewish inhabitants prior to the Jordanian occupation of the city. A planned World Kabbalah Center is to be located on the nearby promenade, overlooking the Old City. [37][38] As a result, despite having an area of only 0.9 square kilometres (0.35 sq mi),[39] the Old City is home to many sites of seminal religious importance, among them the Temple Mount with its Western Wall, Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The law declared Jerusalem the "complete and united" capital of Israel. The city's birthrate stands about 4.2 children per Jewish family and 3.9 children per Arab family. Oxford University Press, 1992 - Biography & Autobiography - 403 pages. [401][402], Begin Expressway is one of Jerusalem's major north–south thoroughfares; it runs on the western side of the city, merging in the north with Route 443, which continues toward Tel Aviv. [224][225], After 1948, since the old walled city in its entirety was to the east of the armistice line, Jordan was able to take control of all the holy places therein. [172] He prayed outside the church, where the Mosque of Umar (Omar) stands to this day, opposite the entrance to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. [179] As a result, by 1099 Jerusalem's population had climbed back to some 30,000. People and security officials look on as smoke rises from a tourist bus in the Red Sea resort town of Taba in south Sinai, Feb. 16, 2014. Jerusalem was declared the Capital of Arab Culture in 2009. [109][110] Nadav Na'aman argues its fortification as the centre of a kingdom dates to around the 18th century BCE. [259], While the international community regards East Jerusalem, including the entire Old City, as part of the occupied Palestinian territories, neither part, West or East Jerusalem, is recognized as part of the territory of Israel or the State of Palestine. [453] Jerusalem's other major football team, and one of Beitar's top rivals, is Hapoel Jerusalem F.C. [235], During the 1948 war, the Jewish residents of Eastern Jerusalem were expelled by Jordan's Arab Legion. Religious Beliefs", "The Water Supply of Jerusalem, Ancient and Modern", "Debate flares anew over Dead Sea Scrolls", "Mean Daily Sunshine on each month for Jerusalem, Israel", "Roads to Jerusalem closed as huge storm batters Israel", "Biblical snowstorm: Rare flakes in Cairo, Jerusalem paralyzed by over a foot", "Worst ozone pollution in Beit Shemesh, Gush Etzion", "Long Term Climate Information for Israel", National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, "Table 3. [372][373] The city's lasting place in Islam, however, is primarily due to Muhammad's Night of Ascension (c. CE 620). The Second Temple was destroyed in 70 CE, and the entire city was destroyed in the war. [87][88] In contrast, Palestinian nationalists claim the right to the city based on modern Palestinians' longstanding presence and descent from many different peoples who have settled or lived in the region over the centuries. Herzl in the south. [211], As the British Mandate for Palestine was expiring, the 1947 UN Partition Plan recommended "the creation of a special international regime in the City of Jerusalem, constituting it as a corpus separatum under the administration of the UN. Jerusalem is served by highly developed communication infrastructures, making it a leading logistics hub for Israel. Masjid al-Aqsa is the third holiest place for Muslims, after Holy Kaabah and Masjid al-Nabawi. Consequently, the total fertility rate in Jerusalem (4.02) is higher than in Tel Aviv (1.98) and well above the national average of 2.90. Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis (ABM)—also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)-Sinai Province—is the most active and capable terrorist group operating in Egypt. [165] Later the Temple Mount became known as al-Haram al-Sharif, "The Noble Sanctuary", while the city around it became known as Bayt al-Maqdis,[166] and later still, al-Quds al-Sharif "The Holy, Noble". The accords banned any official Palestinian presence in the city until a final peace agreement, but provided for the opening of a Palestinian trade office in East Jerusalem. Part of the Mosque's western wall (al-Buraq wall) was confiscated by Israel in 1967 and called Wailing Wall of Jewish shrine. [320][321] A day in Jerusalem has on average, 9.3 sunshine hours. The Jerusalem Central Bus Station, located on Jaffa Road, is the busiest bus station in Israel. Yad Vashem, Israel's national memorial to the victims of the Holocaust, houses the world's largest library of Holocaust-related information. [173], When the Arab armies under Umar went to Bayt Al-Maqdes in 637 CE, they searched for the site of the Al-Aqsa Mosque ("The Farthest Mosque") that was mentioned in Quran and Hadith according to Islamic beliefs. In 1995, the United States Congress passed the Jerusalem Embassy Act, which required, subject to conditions, that its embassy be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The longest-serving Jerusalem mayor was Teddy Kollek, who spent 28 years—-six consecutive terms-—in office. [citation needed], Water supply has always been a major problem in Jerusalem, as attested to by the intricate network of ancient aqueducts, tunnels, pools and cisterns found in the city. [355] In recent years, private Jewish foundations have received permission from the government to develop projects on disputed lands, such as the City of David archaeological park in the 60% Arab neighborhood of Silwan (adjacent to the Old City),[356] and the Museum of Tolerance on Mamilla Cemetery (adjacent to Zion Square). [362][363], Christianity reveres Jerusalem for its Old Testament history, and also for its significance in the life of Jesus. [437] The station itself has become a venue for cultural events in recent years as the site of Shav'ua Hasefer (an annual week-long book fair) and outdoor music performances. [147], Following the Bar Kokhba revolt, Emperor Hadrian combined Iudaea Province with neighboring provinces under the new name of Syria Palaestina, replacing the name of Judea. The “Ansar al-Bayt al-Maqdis” (Supporters of Jerusalem) group is one of the most prominent jihadist groups that appeared in the Egyptian scene after the outbreak of the January 25 revolution, 2011, and became popular after the military coup in 2013. Further, Yad Vashem commemorates the 1.5 million Jewish children murdered by the Nazis, and honors the Righteous among the Nations.[433]. Lions 6. [455] The most popular Palestinian football club is Jabal Al Mukaber (since 1976) which plays in West Bank Premier League. [198], Ottoman rule was reinstated in 1840, but many Egyptian Muslims remained in Jerusalem and Jews from Algiers and North Africa began to settle in the city in growing numbers. [423] In March 2007, the Israeli government approved a 5-year plan to build 8,000 new classrooms in the city, 40 percent in the Arab sector and 28 percent in the Haredi sector. Jerusalem has been sacred to Judaism for roughly 3000 years, to Christianity for around 2000 years, and to Islam for approximately 1400 years. Jordan allowed only very limited access to Christian holy sites,[227] and restrictions were imposed on the Christian population that led many to leave the city. After 13 years, the direction of prayer was changed to Mecca. In November 2018, Moshe Lion was elected mayor. [379] The al-Aqsa Mosque, derived from the name mentioned in the Qur'an, was built on the Temple Mount under the Umayyad Caliph Al-Walid to commemorate the place from which Muslims believe Muhammad ascended to Heaven. [247][248], The annexation of East Jerusalem was met with international criticism. The State of Palestine (according to the Basic Law of Palestine, Title One: Article 3) regards Jerusalem as its capital. In this system, the letters “u” and “a” are preferred over “o” and “e.” For example, the name of the al-Qa‘ida operative who was detained on 1 March 2003 is Khalid Shaykh Muhammad, not Khalid Sheikh Mohammed; he was an associate of Usama Bin Ladin, not Osama Bin Laden. At the end of the seventh century A.D., the Muslims rebuilt the former Temple Mount and created one of the most potent religious sites in the world. The information on this website is valid as of 29 August 2015. Within the span of a few decades, Jerusalem shifted from Byzantine to Persian rule, then back to Roman-Byzantine dominion. 101, December 1996, (English, p. 88), The Jewish injunction to pray toward Jerusalem comes in the, History of the Jews in the Byzantine Empire, Politics of the Palestinian National Authority, influenced by ideological bias or background, Jerusalem during the Second Temple Period, History of Jerusalem during the Early Muslim period, History of Jerusalem during the Middle Ages, History of Jerusalem during the Kingdom of Jerusalem, Expansion of Jerusalem in the 19th century, 1860 civil war in Mount Lebanon and the Damascus massacre, Jerusalem Subdistrict, Mandatory Palestine, United Nations General Assembly Resolution 194, United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine, major parts of the Arab territory allotted to the future Arab State, Jordan, which had concluded a defense agreement with Egypt on 30 May 1967, attacked Israeli-held West Jerusalem on the war's second day, National Headquarters of the Israel Police, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, United Nations Security Council Resolution 242, United Nations General Assembly Resolution 58/292, Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, The National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel, The Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, List of Israeli twin towns and sister cities, "East Jerusalem today – Palestine's Capital: The 1967 border in Jerusalem and Israel's illegal policies on the ground", "Localities, Population and Density per Sq. [331] To attract more university students to Jerusalem, the city has begun to offer a special package of financial incentives and housing subsidies to students who rent apartments in downtown Jerusalem. [295][296][297] On 15 December 2018, Australia officially recognized West Jerusalem as Israel's capital, but said their embassy in Tel Aviv would stay until a two-state resolution was settled.[298]. Smith, Mark (2002) "The Early History of God: Yahweh and Other Deities of Ancient Israel" (Eerdman's), Jane M. Cahill, 'Jerusalem at the time of the United Monarchy', in Andrew G. Vaughn, Ann E. Killebrew (eds.). While 31% of the Jewish population is made up of children below the age fifteen, the figure for the Arab population is 42%. [307], Apart from the mayor and his deputies, City Council members receive no salaries and work on a voluntary basis. 1137–1141. [237][238], In 1967, despite Israeli pleas that Jordan remain neutral during the Six-Day War, Jordan, which had concluded a defense agreement with Egypt on 30 May 1967, attacked Israeli-held West Jerusalem on the war's second day. [219] Barbed wire and concrete barriers ran down the center of the city, passing close by Jaffa Gate on the western side of the old walled city, and a crossing point was established at Mandelbaum Gate slightly to the north of the old walled city. Today, the Western Wall, a remnant of the wall surrounding the Second Temple, is a Jewish holy site second only to the "Holy of Holies" on the Temple Mount itself. A messianic Karaite movement to gather in Jerusalem took place at the turn of the millennium, leading to a "Golden Age" of Karaite scholarship there, which was only terminated by the Crusades. [291][292][293][294], In April 2017, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced it viewed Western Jerusalem as Israel's capital in the context of UN-approved principles which include the status of East Jerusalem as the capital of the future Palestinian state. In 1998, the Jerusalem Development Authority proposed expanding city limits to the west to include more areas heavily populated with Jews. David is said to have conquered these in the Siege of Jebus, and transferred his capital from Hebron to Jerusalem which then became the capital of a united Kingdom of Israel,[124] and one of its several religious centres. As a result of the Six-Day War in 1967, the whole of Jerusalem came under Israeli control. [82] However that may be, later Rabbinic sources also equate Salem with Jerusalem, mainly to link Melchizedek to later Temple traditions. In 1244, Jerusalem was sacked by the Khwarezmian Tatars, who decimated the city's Christian population and drove out the Jews. [114], Archaeological remains from the ancient Israelite period include the Siloam Tunnel, an aqueduct built by Judahite king Hezekiah and once containing an ancient Hebrew inscription, known as the Siloam Inscription;[115] the so-called Broad Wall, a defensive fortification built in the 8th century BCE, also by Hezekiah;[116] the Silwan necropolis with the Monolith of Silwan and the Tomb of the Royal Steward, which were decorated with monumental Hebrew inscriptions;[117] and the so-called Israelite Tower, remnants of ancient fortifications, built from large, sturdy rocks with carved cornerstones. Bayt Al-Maqdis: Jerusalem and early Islam. Sometime soon after 485 BCE Jerusalem was besieged, conquered and largely destroyed by a coalition of neighbouring states. In 2007, 1,300 Palestinians lived in the previously exclusively Jewish neighborhood of Pisgat Ze'ev and constituted three percent of the population in Neve Ya'akov. At the entrance to the city, near the Jerusalem Chords Bridge and the Central Bus Station, twelve towers rising between 24 and 33 stories will be built, as part of a complex that will also include an open square and an underground train station serving a new express line between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and will be connected by bridges and tunnels. "[138] The Tomb of Abba, also located north of the Old City, bears an Aramaic inscription with Paleo-Hebrew letters reading: "I, Abba, son of the priest Eleaz(ar), son of Aaron the high (priest), Abba, the oppressed and the persecuted, who was born in Jerusalem, and went into exile into Babylonia and brought (back to Jerusalem) Mattathi(ah), son of Jud(ah), and buried him in a cave which I bought by deed. [331] This would seem to corroborate the observation that the percentage of Jews in Jerusalem has declined over the past four decades. [439] In 1974 the Jerusalem Cinematheque was founded. [211] The university has produced several Nobel laureates; recent winners associated with Hebrew University include Avram Hershko,[407] David Gross,[408] and Daniel Kahneman. After the establishment of the state of Israel, Jerusalem was declared its capital city. Most population data before 1905 is based on estimates, often from foreign travellers or organisations, since previous census data usually covered wider areas such as the Jerusalem District. Israeli doctors and highly regarded hospitals such as Hadassah Medical Center are available to residents. Since its opening in 1992, Teddy Stadium has been Jerusalem's primary football stadium, with a capacity of 34,000. [122], In the Bible, Jerusalem is defined as lying within territory allocated to the tribe of Benjamin[123] though occupied by Jebusites.