Jerusalem, one of the oldest cities in the world, it is located in the west of the Asian continent, between the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea, at the end of a plateau. Israelis and Palestinians have been fighting for decades for this city, which is considered sacred to three major religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It is divided into an eastern portion, which represents the eastern part, currently under the rule of Israel, but claimed by the Palestinians as the capital, and a western portion, which is the portion of the city that remained under Israeli control after Arab-Israeli war.
Read too: Jerusalem history
Jerusalem General Data
Population |
857,752 inhabitants |
Meaning |
In Hebrew: Yerushalayim / City of Peace In Arabic: Al-Quds / The Holy One |
Religion |
64% Jews 32% Muslims 2% Christians 2% from other religions |
Population density |
5,750,4 inhabitants per km2 |
Where is?
The city of Jerusalem is situated on the edge of a plateau, in the mountainous part of southern Israel known as Judea. It is east of Tel Aviv and the Mediterranean Sea and west of the Dead Sea. The city is surrounded by valleys such as the Kidron Valley to the south and the Tyropoen Valley to the northwest.
Map
Location of the city of Jerusalem between Israel and Jordan.
Climate
the weather is the Mediterranean, characterized by a hot and dry summer season and a winter season with low temperatures and rainy periods, with incidence of snow.
The average temperature in the city is 17.5ºC. January is the coldest month, with an average temperature of 9ºC, and August is the hottest month, with an average temperature of 24.5ºC. Rainfall rates reach 550 millimeters annually, and the rainy season usually occurs between the months of November and March.
Demography
Jerusalem consists mainly of Jews, which represent about 64% of the population. You Arabs represent about 32% of the population, and Christians, 2%. The city usually receives a lot of immigrants, but the number of inhabitants who leave still exceeds the number of people who arrive.
Population growth in the city is high, due to the high birthrates, mainly among the Arab population. In 2007, Jerusalem had a population of 732,100. The number grew to 857,752 inhabitants in 2015.
The number of Jews in the city has been decreasing. Many have been looking for other places to live because of the high cost of housing in Jerusalem and the lack of job opportunities. The birth rate among Palestinians also exceeds that of Jews.
also know: What is the difference between Arabs and Muslims?
Government
Jerusalem is currently the city of Israel and the seat of government, a fact not recognized by the United Nations and the European Union. the city is disputed and claimed by Israelis and Palestinians as their respective capital, which creates great tensions.
The local government is made up of 31 members elected every four years. The mayor is chosen through voting in election, being in power for 5 years and choosing 6 deputies.
Economy
For many years, the Jerusalem's economy was based on its religious significance.. As a holy city for three religions, it attracts many visitors. One of its main holy places is the Wailing Wall.
West Jerusalem has shown better economic development than East Jerusalem. The unemployment rate in Jerusalem (8.3%) is higher than the national average (9.0%), and Arab families are more inserted in the labor market than Jewish families. The city of Tel Aviv constitutes the financial center of Israel, however, a number of high-tech companies are setting up in Jerusalem, creating jobs and incentives for new businesses.
education
The city of Jerusalem has several universities, such as the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Al-Quds University and the Jerusalem Institute of Technology. Courses are usually offered in Hebrew, Arabic and English. The city offers several financial incentives so that students can rent apartments to live and attend universities.
Culture
Despite its religious attractiveness, Jerusalem has many artistic events. We can highlight the Israel Museum, the Rockefeller Museum and the Islamic Museum. There is also the presence of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra and the International Convention Center. The city also has the Israel Festival, which features plays, music and dances, and the Jerusalem Film Festival.
Religion and the Wailing Wall
Jerusalem is considered a holy city by three great religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. For Jews, the city is sacred because it was the capital of David's Kingdom. It was also the place where King Solomon built the temple to keep the Ark of the Covenant, an object that contained the sacred tablets on which the “Ten Commandments” were written. This temple was destroyed by the Romans, leaving only one of its walls, which is now known as the Western Wall.
For Muslims, Jerusalem is considered the city where Muhammad ascended to heaven. For Christians, the city of Jerusalem represents the place where Jesus performed many miracles, and where Jesus was buried and resurrected, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher was built.
The Wailing Wall is the second holiest site for Jews.
Politics
In the year 1949, the Prime Minister of Israel proclaimed Jerusalem the capital of Israel, thus becoming the seat of government. At that time, Jerusalem was divided between Israel and Jordan, and only the western part of the city was considered the capital of Israel. Then, a remarkable fact occurred in the history of Israel, the Six Day War, in 1967. In this dispute between Arabs and Jews, Israel defeated Egypt, Jordan and Syria, then annexing for itself various territories, such as the Gaza Strip (occupied by Palestinians), and the Golan Heights, belonging to the Syria.
From this war on, the Jews took control of Jerusalem, annexing the eastern part of the city. Thus, they considered the west and east of Jerusalem as their capital, assuming the status of "complete and unified". This status has become an issue as the international community does not recognize the annexed area as Israeli territory.
In 1980, Israel created a law to officially annex East Jerusalem to its territory. The UN and several countries considered the action illegal and, therefore, transferred their embassies to the city of Tel Aviv with the justification that, if they kept their diplomatic missions in Jerusalem, they would be attesting that in fact the city was the capital of Israel, then belonging to the Jews. In 2017, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, transferring the US embassy to the city.
Read too: What is an embassy? And diplomatic mission?
Confrontation between Jews and Palestinians
Since the 20th century, jgods and arabs vie to recognize Jerusalem as capital of Israel or as the capital of Palestine, respectively. In the early 1920s, the region of Palestine was under UK control. Supported by the British, Jews began to migrate to Israel. Until 1948, Jerusalem was the capital of the British Mandate of Palestine.
That same year, Israel became independent, which resulted in the First Arab-Israeli War. With the war, there was the division of Jerusalem into a western part, which was under Israeli control, and an eastern part, under Jordan's control.
In 1967, with the Six Day War, Israel annexed the eastern part of Jerusalem to its domain. This fact was considered illegal by the international community and the United Nations, which do not recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Since then, Palestinians have claimed the eastern part of Jerusalem as their capital. It is worth noting that about a third of the population of Jerusalem is made up of Palestinians. Since then, this region has been the scene of conflicts and tensions over territorial disputes.
Read more: Conflicts between Israel and Palestine
Is Jerusalem the capital of Israel?
Regarding the status of Jerusalem as the capital, there is no consensus. For many decades, this region has been disputed and claimed by Israelis and Palestinians. The international community, including UN member countries, do not recognize the status of “complete and unified”, declared by Israel in 1980, therefore, there is no acceptance that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.
For the community, the city should be shared, with the western portion for the Israelis and the eastern portion for the Palestinians. All embassies except the US are located in Tel Aviv.
For the international community and the United Nations, Jerusalem is not Israel's capital.
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv is Israel's second largest city and is recognized by many as the de facto capital of the country, since it comprises the region in which the embassies of the countries are located, except for the United States. It is considered an important economic center of Israel, being the country's financial capital. It was in Tel Aviv that Israel declared its independence in 1948 and began to organize its government. Therefore, as long as the status of Jerusalem as the capital is not recognized, Tel Aviv is the capital as it is the provisional seat of the government of Israel.
Jerusalem has been recognized by the United States as the capital of Israel
transfer to embassy from the United States to Jerusalem was provided for in a law passed by the US Congress in 1995. This law included postponing the transfer deadline in order to protect National Security interests. Presidents like Bill Clinton and Barack Obama have extended that deadline as long as they can. The current President of the United States, Donald Trump, had also extended the deadline, as moving the embassy to Jerusalem could generate conflicts and controversy. However, the deadline for the last extension expired, and Trump decided to finally make the transfer.
Donald Trump states that "Israel is a sovereign nation and has the right to determine its capital." The transfer was completed in 2018 to West Jerusalem. Countries like Guatemala, Paraguay, Brazil, Romania and the Czech Republic propose to do the same. This transfer is, therefore, a position of these countries regarding the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. This fact can generate conflicts with the Arabs, shaking relations.
by Rafaela Sousa
Graduated in Geography
