Jerusalem

Jerusalem, a city of immense historical and theological importance, is located in the Southern Levant on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains, positioned between the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea. In 2022, this historic metropolis had a population of roughly 971,800 inhabitants, including nearly 60% Jews and 40% Palestinians. This varied population represents the city’s intricate cultural fabric, shaped by thousands of years of human settlement and religious commitment.

The beginnings of Jerusalem date back to antiquity, with the oldest evidence of habitation in the region known as the City of David occurring in the 4th millennium BCE. The original occupants were probably nomadic shepherds, whose camps established the basis for one of the world’s oldest continually inhabited urban sites. The city’s documented history starts during the Canaanite era, approximately in the 14th century BCE, when it is mentioned on ancient Egyptian tablets as Urusalim, interpreted as “City of Shalem,” pertaining to a Canaanite god.

The Israelite era was a pivotal juncture in the evolution of Jerusalem. During the 10th century BCE, there was an increase in construction activity, and by the 9th century BCE, the city had developed into the religious and administrative center of the Kingdom of Judah. This transition established Jerusalem’s pivotal place in the Hebrew Bible story, detailing King David’s conquest of the city from the Jebusites and his designation of it as the capital of the United Kingdom of Israel. The biblical narrative proceeds with King Solomon, son of David, authorizing the construction of the First Temple, an act that would eternally solidify Jerusalem’s significance in Jewish religious and cultural identity.

Contemporary study, however, provides a complex view on these crucial events. Researchers assert that the Jewish people sprang from Canaanite ancestry, cultivating a unique monolatrous faith focused on El/Yahweh, which ultimately transformed into monotheism. Irrespective of the factual veracity of the biblical accounts, these myths, originating in the early 1st millennium BCE, have acquired profound symbolic significance for the Jewish people, influencing their collective memory and spiritual affiliation with the city.

The designation “holy city” (עיר הקודש, ‘Ir ha-Qodesh in Hebrew) is said to have been linked to Jerusalem throughout post-exilic periods, indicating its increasing religious importance. This holiness extended beyond Judaism alone. Christianity, by accepting the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible as its Old Testament, acquired a profound regard for Jerusalem. The New Testament’s narrative of Jesus’s death and resurrection in the city further solidified its sacred significance for Christians globally.

Islam too regards Jerusalem with great reverence. In Sunni tradition, it is regarded as the third-holiest city behind Mecca and Medina. The city’s Islamic importance is founded on the concept that it was the initial qibla for Muslims and the location of Prophet Muhammad’s Night Journey. In 621 CE, Muhammad went to heaven from Jerusalem, where he conversed with God, an occurrence documented in the Quran, according to Islamic belief.

The union of all three Abrahamic faiths in Jerusalem has endowed the city with exceptional spiritual significance. Although its dimensions are small, with the Old City encompassing only 0.9 square kilometers, Jerusalem contains various places of significant religious value. The Temple Mount, with the Western Wall, Dome of the Rock, and al-Aqsa Mosque, serves as a significant emblem of the city’s diverse religious legacy. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, esteemed by Christians as the location of Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection, emphasizes the city’s pivotal significance in worldwide religious traditions.

The history of Jerusalem is characterized by cycles of devastation, conquest, and rejuvenation. It has been obliterated at least twice, besieged 23 times, seized and reclaimed 44 times, and assaulted 52 times over its extensive and violent history. This cycle of destruction and renewal exemplifies the city’s durability and lasting importance to various civilizations and religions.

The physical configuration of Jerusalem has transformed throughout centuries, with each governing authority imprinting its influence on the urban environment. In 1538, a pivotal event in the city’s architectural history occurred when Suleiman the Magnificent of the Ottoman Empire commanded the reconstruction of the city walls. The existing walls delineate the perimeters of the Old City. Since the 19th century, the Old City has been partitioned into four separate quarters: Armenian, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim, each with its own unique character and historical importance. The Old City of Jerusalem and its walls were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981 due to its outstanding global importance. Nonetheless, because of persistent disputes and threats to its conservation, it has been designated as a World Heritage Site in Danger.

Jerusalem has significantly expanded beyond the boundaries of the Old City in the contemporary age. Since 1860, the city has expanded considerably, incorporating new neighborhoods and suburbs that mirror the evolving demographics and political dynamics of the area. The city’s expansion has coincided with changes in its demographic mix. In 2020, Jerusalem’s population was 951,100, with Jews constituting 59.9% (570,100), Muslims 37.2% (353,800), Christians 1.7% (16,300), and 1.1% (10,800) unidentified others.

The status of Jerusalem is a very sensitive subject in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The contemporary political history of the city is characterized by division and conflicting assertions. In the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, West Jerusalem was secured by Israeli forces, whilst East Jerusalem, including the Old City, was seized and subsequently annexed by Jordan. The environment underwent significant alteration during the 1967 Six-Day War when Israel conquered East Jerusalem and subsequently annexed it, along with adjacent territories, into the Jerusalem municipality.

Israel’s assertion of Jerusalem as its capital is codified in its Basic Laws, particularly the 1980 Jerusalem Law, which designates the city as the nation’s indivisible capital. All branches of the Israeli government, encompassing the Knesset (parliament), the homes of the Prime Minister and President, as well as the Supreme Court, are situated in Jerusalem. This assertion lacks widespread worldwide recognition. The global community predominantly regards the annexation of East Jerusalem as unlawful and perceives it as Palestinian territory under Israeli occupation.

The Palestinian populace asserts that Jerusalem, particularly East Jerusalem, should serve as the capital of their prospective state. This competing assertion introduces more complication to the city’s already convoluted political landscape. The ambiguous status of Jerusalem remains a substantial impediment in peace discussions between Israelis and Palestinians, as both parties claim historical, religious, and political entitlements to the city.