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123-472: The building is noted for the two stone lions mounted on pillars that originally flanked the entrance in the wall surrounding the property. During infrastructure work for the construction of the Jerusalem Light Rail , the wall and front garden were removed to accommodate the widening of the street and sidewalk. The lion pillars were moved next to the building's entrance, which is now accessed directly from

246-555: A demonym . Jerusalem is one of the world's oldest cities, with a history spanning over 5,000 years. Its origins trace back to around 3000 BCE, with the first settlement near the Gihon Spring . The city is first mentioned in Egyptian Execration texts around 2000 BCE as "Rusalimum." By the 17th century BCE, Jerusalem had developed into a fortified city under Canaanite rule, with massive walls protecting its water system. During

369-608: A grade separated manner over a busy road intersection. Incorporated in the bridge is a glass-sided pedestrian crossing, enabling pedestrians to cross unimpeded from the Kiryat Moshe area to the Central Bus Station grounds. The bridge, which cost about $ 70 million ( NIS 246 million), was inaugurated on June 25, 2008. The Jerusalem Central Bus Station is slated to become a major passenger transportation hub . The Jerusalem–Yitzhak Navon railway station has begun operation for

492-873: A voiceless uvular plosive (/q/), as in Classical Arabic , or with a glottal stop (ʔ) as in Levantine Arabic . Official Israeli government policy mandates that أُورُشَلِيمَ , transliterated as Ūrušalīm , which is the name frequently used in Christian translations of the Bible into Arabic, be used as the Arabic language name for the city in conjunction with القُدس , giving أُورُشَلِيمَ-القُدس , Ūrušalīm-al-Quds. Palestinian Arab families who hail from this city are often called " Qudsi " ( قُدسي ) or " Maqdasi " ( مقدسي ), while Palestinian Muslim Jerusalemites may use these terms as

615-635: A 2009 report, the United Nations Human Rights Council described the Jerusalem Light Rail as infrastructure servicing Israeli settlements. The following year, the Human Rights Council condemned the decision to operate a tramway between west Jerusalem and Pisgat Ze'ev "in violation of international law" and relevant United Nations resolutions. The Council resolution was adopted with 46 votes in favor and 1 against (USA). In

738-518: A city of some importance in early sacred Hebrew writing. Possibly the redactor of the Apocryphon of Genesis wanted to dissociate Melchizedek from the area of Shechem, which at the time was in possession of the Samaritans . However that may be, later Rabbinic sources also equate Salem with Jerusalem, mainly to link Melchizedek to later Temple traditions. Originally titled Bayt al-Maqdis, today, Jerusalem

861-476: A new 1,435 mm ( 4 ft  8 + 1 ⁄ 2  in ) ( standard gauge ) twin-track 13.8 kilometres (8.6 mi) alignment. It runs from the settlement of Pisgat Ze'ev in north-east Jerusalem , south along Road 1 (intercity) to Jaffa Road ( Rehov Yafo ). From there, it runs along Jaffa Road westward to the Jerusalem Central Bus Station , and continues to the southwest, crossing

984-539: A passenger was traveling within the 90 minutes allowed for free transfers an inspector using CityPass equipment to read the Rav Kav would erroneously believe the fare was not paid and issue a fine. CityPass did not respond to the report nor fix the problem. The project was also criticized for increasing air pollution in Jerusalem during construction. However, it was credited with reducing air pollution on Jaffa Road by 80% when

1107-482: A special agreement between the Defense Ministry and the railway's operator, as do uniformed police officers. Fare required for un-collapsible baby carriages between 7–10 am and 3–7 pm and all day Fridays and holiday eves. Collapsible bicycles are permitted at all hours. Muzzled small dogs capable of sitting in a rider's lap or being held are permitted. (million passengers) The financial management of

1230-690: A specially formed consortium, won a 30-year concession to build and operate Line 1 (the "Red Line"). CityPass consists of financiers Harel (20%), Polar Investments (17.5%) and the Israel Infrastructure Fund (10%), constructors Ashtrom (27.5%) and engineers Alstom (20%), plus service operators – Connex (5%). However, the principal agreement with the Dan Bus Company did not materialize. Veolia entered another principal agreement with Egged . Veolia sold its stake in CityPass and its shares in

1353-564: A strategy to exit the transportation market. Veolia's interest in the Jerusalem Light Rail, together with its other transport business, was injected in 2011 in new subsidiary Veolia Transdev , jointly owned by Veolia and French financial institution Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations . After poor financial results, Veolia announced in December 2011 that it intended to exit the transport sector altogether and sell its stake in Veolia Transdev. In

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1476-573: Is 13.9 kilometers (8.6 mi) long with 23 stops. Extensions to the red line are currently under construction to the Israeli settlement of Neve Yaakov and to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital to the southwest. When completed in 2024, these will extend the line's length to 22.5 km (14.0 mi). With a total estimated cost for the Red Line's initial section of ₪ 3.8 billion (approx. US $ 1.1 billion),

1599-521: Is a Palestinian Authority regional office and an electoral office located in the Dahiyat al Barid neighborhood. The Jerusalem City Council is a body of 31 elected members headed by the mayor, who serves a five-year term and appoints eight deputies. The former mayor of Jerusalem, Uri Lupolianski , was elected in 2003. In the November 2008 city elections, Nir Barkat was elected. In November 2018, Moshe Lion

1722-707: Is a city in the Southern Levant , on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea . It is one of the oldest cities in the world , and is considered holy to the three major Abrahamic religions — Judaism , Christianity , and Islam . Both the State of Israel and the State of Palestine claim Jerusalem as their capital city . Israel maintains its primary governmental institutions there, and

1845-587: Is completely controlled by the Palestinian Authority. Al-Ram and Dahiyat al-Barid are mostly in Area B , where both Palestine and Israel has control. Other parts of Beit Hanina , Kafr Aqab and Arab al-Jahalin also falls under Area B. Jerusalem is situated on the southern spur of a plateau in the Judaean Mountains , which include the Mount of Olives (East) and Mount Scopus (North East). The elevation of

1968-498: Is currently served by buses moving on a dedicated bus lane, and is planned to be converted to light rail. It will include an underground section in the city center with three underground stops: Avodat Israel, Tzfania, and Bar Ilan . The 23 km (14 mi) Blue Line will run from the Ramot district in the northwest, through the city centre up to Talpiot and Gilo, with branches to Malkha and Mount Scopus. It will have 42 stops and ridership

2091-904: Is located in central Tel Aviv's HaKirya district) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (which is located in Rishon LeZion , in the wider Tel Aviv metropolitan area , near Beit Dagan ). Since its capture in 1967, the Israeli government has built 12 Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem , with a population amounting to 220,000 Israeli Jewish settlers as of 2019. The international community consider Israeli settlements to be illegal under international law . The Palestinian National Authority views East Jerusalem as occupied territory according to United Nations Security Council Resolution 242 . The Palestinian Authority claims Jerusalem, including

2214-514: Is most commonly known in Arabic as القُدس , transliterated as al-Quds and meaning "the holy" or "the holy sanctuary", cognate with Hebrew : הקדש , romanized :  ha-qodesh . The name is possibly a shortened form of مدينة القُدس Madīnat al-Quds "city of the holy sanctuary" after the Hebrew nickname with the same meaning, Ir ha-Qodesh ( עיר הקדש ). The ق (Q) is pronounced either with

2337-519: Is nevertheless being built during the construction of the inpatient building – in order not to disrupt hospital operations later after the new building will be completed. Also planned are branches to the Red Line that would create a "campus line" connecting the Mount Scopus and Givat Ram campuses of the Hebrew University . The Blue Line from the settlement of Ramot to the settlement of Gilo

2460-521: Is predicted at 250,000 passengers/day. The Blue Line, scheduled to open in 2023, was approved on December 3, 2017 by the district committee for planning and construction. The 19.6 km (12.2 mi) Green Line will link the two campuses of the Hebrew University and continue south via Pat junction to the settlement of Gilo. It will pass the Binyanei-Hauma terminus of the A1 fast line railway, then cross

2583-667: Is the Valley of Hinnom , a steep ravine associated in biblical eschatology with the concept of Gehenna or Hell . The Tyropoeon Valley commenced in the northwest near the Damascus Gate , ran south-southeasterly through the centre of the Old City down to the Pool of Siloam , and divided the lower part into two hills, the Temple Mount to the east, and the rest of the city to the west, the lower and

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2706-536: Is the third-holiest city, after Mecca and Medina . The city was the first standard direction for Muslim prayers , and in Islamic tradition , Muhammad made his Night Journey there in 621, ascending to heaven where he spoke to God , per the Quran . As a result, despite having an area of only 0.9 km ( 3 ⁄ 8  sq mi), the Old City is home to many sites of seminal religious importance , among them

2829-647: The American embassy to Jerusalem, reversing decades of United States policy on the issue. The move was criticized by many nations. A resolution condemning the US decision was supported by all the 14 other members of the UN Security Council, but was vetoed by the US on 18 December 2017. A subsequent resolution condemning the US decision was passed in the United Nations General Assembly . On 14 May 2018,

2952-608: The Ayyubid and Mamluk periods, until it became part of the Ottoman Empire in 1517. In the modern period, Jerusalem was divided between Israel and Jordan after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War . Israel captured East Jerusalem during the Six-Day War in 1967, uniting the city under Israeli control. The status of Jerusalem remains a highly contentious issue, with both Israelis and Palestinians claiming it as their capital. Historiographically,

3075-577: The Canaanite period (14th century BCE), Jerusalem was named as Urusalim on ancient Egyptian tablets, probably meaning "City of Shalem " after a Canaanite deity . During the Israelite period, significant construction activity in Jerusalem began in the 10th century BCE (Iron Age II), and by the 9th century BCE, the city had developed into the religious and administrative center of the Kingdom of Judah . In 1538,

3198-567: The Chords Bridge along Herzl Boulevard to the Beit HaKerem neighborhood, finishing just beyond Mount Herzl at the northern edge of Bayit VeGan . The first test run for this route was on February 24, 2010. The laying of light rail tracks was completed on June 15, 2010. Inauguration of the light rail service was postponed four times. The initial date was January 2009, deferred to August 2010 due to funding problems and lack of staff. When it

3321-828: The Church of the Holy Sepulchre . In 638 CE, Jerusalem was conquered by the Rashidun Caliphate , and under early Islamic rule, the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque were built, solidifying its religious importance in Islam. During the Crusades , Jerusalem changed hands multiple times, being captured by the Crusaders in 1099 and recaptured by Saladin in 1187. It remained under Islamic control through

3444-587: The General Assembly of the United Nations in 1947, Jerusalem was envisaged to become a corpus separatum administered by the United Nations. In the war of 1948, the western part of the city was occupied by forces of the nascent state of Israel, while the eastern part was occupied by Jordan. The international community largely considers the legal status of Jerusalem to derive from the partition plan, and correspondingly refuses to recognize Israeli sovereignty over

3567-520: The Haram al-Sharif , as the capital of the State of Palestine, The PLO claims that West Jerusalem is also subject to permanent status negotiations. However, it has stated that it would be willing to consider alternative solutions, such as making Jerusalem an open city . The PLO's position is that East Jerusalem, as defined by the pre-1967 municipal boundaries , shall be the capital of Palestine and West Jerusalem

3690-451: The Israeli government — legislative , judicial , and executive —have resided there, except for the Ministry of Defense , which is located at HaKirya in Tel Aviv . At the time of Ben Gurion's proclamations and the ensuing Knesset vote of 24 January 1950, Jerusalem was divided between Israel and Jordan, and thus the proclamation only applied to West Jerusalem. In July 1980, Israel passed

3813-712: The Jaffa–Jerusalem railway . The tram would connect the city with Ein Karem and Bethlehem . In 1910, a tender for a tramway was published by the Ottoman authorities. In 1918, the British Army built a rail system linking the Jerusalem Railway Station , now referred to as "First Station", with Al-Bireh , on the outskirts of Ramallah, traversing Jerusalem along a winding route. It was built by Rail Builders Company 272 of

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3936-772: The Jerusalem District town of Mevaseret Zion ( Bolivia and Paraguay ). There are a number of consulates-general located in Jerusalem, which work primarily either with Israel, or the Palestinian authorities. 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. On 6 December 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and announced his intention to move

4059-659: The Jerusalem Law as Basic Law . The law declared Jerusalem the "complete and united" capital of Israel. The Jerusalem Law was condemned by the international community, which did not recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 478 on 20 August 1980, which declared that the Jerusalem Law is "a violation of international law" , is "null and void and must be rescinded forthwith" . Member states were called upon to withdraw their diplomatic representation from Jerusalem. Following

4182-819: The Jewish people . The sobriquet of holy city (Hebrew: עיר הקודש , romanized:  'Ir ha-Qodesh ) was probably attached to Jerusalem in post-exilic times. The holiness of Jerusalem in Christianity , conserved in the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible , which Christians adopted as the Old Testament , was reinforced by the New Testament account of Jesus's crucifixion and resurrection there. Meanwhile, in Islam , Jerusalem

4305-683: The Jewish-Roman Wars , which culminated in the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE. The city was renamed Aelia Capitolina and rebuilt as a Roman colony after the Bar Kokhba revolt (132–136 CE), with Jews banned from entering the city. Jerusalem gained significance during the Byzantine Empire as a center of Christianity , particularly after Constantine the Great endorsed the construction of

4428-422: The Jordanian waqf , under the Jordanian Ministry of Religious Endowments. 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 building reopened in 1992 as a Palestinian guesthouse. The Oslo Accords stated that the final status of Jerusalem would be determined by negotiations with

4551-415: The Kiryat HaMemshala (government complex) in the Givat Ram neighbourhood. Some government buildings are located in Kiryat Menachem Begin . The city is home to the Knesset, the Supreme Court , the Bank of Israel , the National Headquarters of the Israel Police , the official residences of the President and Prime Minister , the Cabinet , and all ministries except for the Ministry of Defense (which

4674-402: The Late Bronze Age , Jerusalem became a vassal of Ancient Egypt , as documented in the Amarna letters . The city's importance grew during the Israelite period , which began around 1000 BCE when King David captured Jerusalem and made it the capital of the United Kingdom of Israel . David's son, Solomon , built the First Temple , establishing the city as a major religious center. Following

4797-472: The Mamilla Cemetery : Once a week in the evening we went to the Mahane Yehuda police station, where each of us was given a rifle, ammunition, and some sort of makeshift uniform, and then, thus equipped, marched to a house facing the Mamilla Cemetery, through which Arab attackers were known to have sneaked into the Jewish part of Jerusalem. We climbed up the stairs to the flat roof of the three-story building and stood, or rather sat, watch there until 2 o'clock in

4920-399: The Ministry of Transportation objected to having trees adjacent to the route, due to visibility problems. The Chords Bridge is a cantilever spar cable-stayed bridge designed by the Spanish architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava , built for the light rail, close to the most frequently used entrance to Jerusalem , in the neighborhood of Kiryat Moshe . The bridge carries the trams in

5043-422: The Palestine Liberation Organisation and French advocacy group Association France-Palestine Solidarité in the French courts. In 2013, the Versailles Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the French companies, and ordered the Palestinian groups to pay $ 117,000 in legal costs to the French companies. In the 32-page verdict, the judges ruled that the light rail did not violate international law. A large proportion of

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5166-534: The Palestinian Authority . 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. The Palestinian Authority regards East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state. President Mahmoud Abbas has said that any agreement that did not include East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine would be unacceptable. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has similarly stated that Jerusalem would remain

5289-442: The Red Line were planned to the settlement of Neve Yaakov in Northeastern Jerusalem and the neighborhood of Ein Karem (near Hadassah Hospital ) in the Southwest. Former mayor Uri Lupolianski stated that they would be completed at the same time as the rest of the line. In 2008, French company Egis Rail won an 11.9 million Euro contract to carry out some of the design work. However, in March 2009, CityPass turned down implementing

5412-449: The Second Temple period . Jerusalem fell under Hellenistic rule after the conquests of Alexander the Great in 332 BCE, leading to increasing cultural and political influence from Greece . The Hasmonean revolt in 164 BCE briefly restored Jewish autonomy, with Jerusalem as the capital of an independent state. In 63 BCE, Jerusalem was conquered by Pompey and became part of the Roman Empire . The city remained under Roman control until

5535-409: The Supreme Court . The international community rejects the annexation as illegal and regards East Jerusalem as Palestinian territory occupied by Israel . The name "Jerusalem" is variously etymologized to mean "foundation (Semitic yry' 'to found, to lay a cornerstone') of the pagan god Shalem "; the god Shalem was thus the original tutelary deity of the Bronze Age city. Shalim or Shalem

5658-473: The Temple Mount with its Western Wall , Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque , and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre . At present, the status of Jerusalem remains one of the core issues in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict . During the 1948 Arab–Israeli War , West Jerusalem was among the areas incorporated into Israel, while East Jerusalem , including the Old City, was occupied and annexed by Jordan . Israel occupied East Jerusalem from Jordan during

5781-408: The United Kingdom , an Early Day Motion was tabled in parliament in 2012 against the financing of illegal activity in the West Bank. After referring to the Jerusalem Light Rail, the motion called on the UK government to support EU legislation to ensure "that economic operators aiding and abetting the building, maintenance or servicing of illegal Israeli settlements be excluded from public contracts in

5904-441: The city walls were rebuilt for a last time around Jerusalem under Suleiman the Magnificent of the Ottoman Empire . Today those walls define the Old City , which since the 19th century has been divided into four quarters – the Armenian , Christian , Jewish , and Muslim quarters. The Old City became a World Heritage Site in 1981, and is on the List of World Heritage in Danger . Since 1860, Jerusalem has grown far beyond

6027-454: The dual , thus leading to the suggestion that the name Yerushalayim refers to the fact that the city initially sat on two hills. The Execration Texts of the Middle Kingdom of Egypt (c. 19th century BCE), which refer to a city called rwšꜣlmm or ꜣwšꜣmm , variously transcribed as Rušalimum , or Urušalimum , may indicate Jerusalem. Alternatively, the Amarna letters of Abdi-Heba (1330s BCE), which reference an Úrušalim , may be

6150-491: The polis would be similar to Hierolophos . The city was renamed Aelia Capitolina for part of the Roman period of its history. The Aramaic Apocryphon of Genesis of the Dead Sea Scrolls (1QapGen 22:13) equates Jerusalem with the earlier "Salem" (שלם), said to be the kingdom of Melchizedek in Genesis 14. Other early Hebrew sources, early Christian renderings of the verse and targumim , however, put Salem in Northern Israel near Shechem (Sichem), now Nablus ,

6273-415: The 1967 Six-Day War and subsequently annexed it into the city's municipality, together with additional surrounding territory. One of Israel's Basic Laws , the 1980 Jerusalem Law , refers to Jerusalem as the country's undivided capital. All branches of the Israeli government are located in Jerusalem, including the Knesset (Israel's parliament), the residences of the Prime Minister and President , and

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6396-502: The Ammunition Hill stop. The Jerusalem Municipality has plans to build eight bus rapid transit (BRT) and light rail lines across the city. Extensions of the red line are under construction in both directions: to the settlement of Neve Yaakov in the North and to Kiryat Menachem in the South. A further extension to the Ein Kerem campus of Hadassah Medical Center is planned. This extension will include an underground section without stops west of Ora junction. Initial extensions to

6519-495: The Bible, named Jebus . Called the "Fortress of Zion" ( metsudat Zion ), it was renamed as the "City of David", and was known by this name in antiquity. Another name, " Zion ", initially referred to a distinct part of the city, but later came to signify the city as a whole, and afterwards to represent the whole biblical Land of Israel . In Greek and Latin, the city's name was transliterated Hierosolyma/Hierosoluma (Greek: Ἱεροσόλυμα; in Greek hieròs , ἱερός , means holy), and

6642-431: The Blue line has started. In ancient times, Jerusalem was a point on the Ridge Route, also known as the Way of the Patriarchs , centrally located between the Via Maris (along the coast to the west) and the King's Highway (east of the River Jordan). The primary roads led to the gates of the Old City , such as the Jaffa Gate and the Damascus Gate . It was along these roads that the city grew when it expanded beyond

6765-421: The British Royal Engineers , commanded by Colonel Jordan Bell, with some 850 Egyptian and local Arab laborers, about half of them women. The railway was used by the British army, and for a few months it supplied Allenby's troops. It was dismantled shortly after the front moved northward in late 1918. Some of the city's streets may have been paved along its route. In the 1970s, when traffic congestion mounted in

6888-552: The EU". In July 2014, Arab rioters caused substantial damage to three stations in Arab neighborhoods as well as other system infrastructure, and left graffiti with "Death to the Jews" and other slogans. Rioting and incessant "rock attacks" inflicted on trains in the Beit Hanina and Shuafat areas have made the train route subject to closures restricting passengers to stations south of Givat HaMivtar. Damage to trains caused two-thirds of CityPass's fleet to be taken offline in an ongoing basis through October 2014. While tracks for

7011-419: The God of Jerusalem". An earlier example of the name appears in a papyrus from the 7th century BCE. In extra-biblical inscriptions, the earliest known example of the -ayim ending was discovered on a column about 3 km west of ancient Jerusalem, dated to the first century BCE. An ancient settlement of Jerusalem, founded as early as the Bronze Age on the hill above the Gihon Spring , was, according to

7134-490: The Jerusalem landscape. 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. Jerusalem is 60 km (37 mi) east of Tel Aviv and the Mediterranean Sea . On the opposite side of the city, approximately 35 km (22 mi) away, is the Dead Sea , the lowest body of water on Earth. Neighbouring cities and towns include Bethlehem and Beit Jala to

7257-447: The Muslim Quarter of the Old City in order to expand the Jewish presence in East Jerusalem, while some Islamic leaders have made claims that Jews have no historical connection to Jerusalem, alleging that the 2,500-year-old Western Wall was constructed as part of a mosque. Palestinians regard Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Palestine , and the city's borders have been the subject of bilateral talks. A team of experts assembled by

7380-402: The Old City is approximately 760 m (2,490 ft). The whole of Jerusalem is surrounded by valleys and dry riverbeds ( wadis ). The Kidron , Hinnom , and Tyropoeon Valleys intersect in an area just south of the Old City of Jerusalem. The Kidron Valley runs to the east of the Old City and separates the Mount of Olives from the city proper. Along the southern side of old Jerusalem

7503-432: The Old City's boundaries. In 2022, Jerusalem had a population of some 971,800 residents, of which almost 60% were Jews and almost 40% Palestinians. In 2020, the population was 951,100, of which Jews comprised 570,100 (59.9%), Muslims 353,800 (37.2%), Christians 16,300 (1.7%), and 10,800 unclassified (1.1%). According to the Hebrew Bible , King David conquered the city from the Jebusites and established it as

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7626-402: The Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. United Nations General Assembly Resolution 58/292 affirmed that the Palestinian people have the right to sovereignty over East Jerusalem. Government offices are located outside the Israeli municipal limits include the Palestinian Security Services , Force 17 , the Preventative Security Service and the Ministry of Interior . There

7749-483: The Red line began in 2002 and ended in 2010, when the testing phase began. It was built by the CityPass consortium, which has a 30-year concession to operate it. The project required construction of the Jerusalem Chords Bridge as well as other renovation projects around Jerusalem. After repeated delays due to archaeological discoveries and technical issues, service began, initially free of charge, on August 19, 2011. It became fully operational on December 1, 2011. The line

7872-446: The State of Palestine ultimately foresees it as its seat of power. Neither claim is widely recognized internationally . Throughout its long history , Jerusalem has been destroyed at least twice, besieged 23 times , captured and recaptured 44 times, and attacked 52 times. The part of Jerusalem called the City of David shows first signs of settlement in the 4th millennium BCE, in the shape of encampments of nomadic shepherds. During

7995-437: The United States officially opened its embassy in Jerusalem , transforming its Tel Aviv location into a consulate. Due to the general lack of international recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, some non-Israeli media outlets use Tel Aviv as a metonym for Israel. 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

8118-432: The banner of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS), Palestinian organizations launched a campaign on the six Gulf Cooperation Council states to withhold lucrative contracts for the Gulf railway project from the two companies unless they comply with demands to withdraw from the Jerusalem project. Veolia decided to sell its interests in the light railway, first to Dan Bus Company in 2009, and later to Egged , as part of

8241-474: The bill sent "a clear, unequivocal political message that Jerusalem will not be divided", and that "all those within the Palestinian and international community who expect the current Israeli government to accept any demands regarding Israel's sovereignty over its capital are mistaken and misleading". The status of the city, and especially its holy places, remains a core issue in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. The Israeli government has approved building plans in

8364-450: The building's entrance, which is now accessed directly from the sidewalk. Jerusalem Light Rail The Jerusalem Light Rail ( Hebrew : הרכבת הקלה בירושלים , HaRakevet HaKala Birushalayim , Arabic : قطار القدس الخفيف , Qiṭār Al-Quds Al-Khafīf ) is a light rail system in Jerusalem . Currently, the Red Line is the only one in operation, the first of several light rail lines planned in Jerusalem . Construction on

8487-456: The capital of Israel, with each state enjoying full sovereignty over its respective part of the city and with its own municipality. A joint development council would be responsible for coordinated development. Orient House in East Jerusalem served as the headquarters of the PLO in the 1980s and 1990s. It was closed by Israel in 2001, two days after the Sbarro restaurant suicide bombing . Some states, such as Russia and China , recognize

8610-446: The capital of the United Kingdom of Israel , and his son, King Solomon , commissioned the building of the First Temple . Modern scholars argue that Israelites branched out of the Canaanite peoples and culture through the development of a distinct monolatrous —and later monotheistic —religion centered on El / Yahweh . These foundational events, straddling the dawn of the 1st millennium BCE, assumed central symbolic importance for

8733-430: The city center, proposals were discussed for widening the main roads. In 1996, the government approved new plans for an integrated network relying on rapid transit, including a light rail system and bus rapid transit . In the 1990s, a light rail system was proposed as a means of providing faster and less polluting public transit through the heart of the city, and reversing the decline of certain central areas. CityPass,

8856-521: The city's history is often interpreted through the lens of competing national narratives. Israeli scholars emphasize the ancient Jewish connection to the city, while Palestinian narratives highlight the city's broader historical and multicultural significance. Both perspectives influence contemporary discussions of Jerusalem's status and future. From 1923 until 1948, Jerusalem served as the administrative capital of Mandatory Palestine . From 1949 until 1967, West Jerusalem served as Israel's capital, but

8979-570: The city. Following the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel extended its jurisdiction and administration over East Jerusalem, establishing new municipal borders. In 2010, Israel approved legislation giving Jerusalem the highest national priority status in Israel. The law prioritized construction throughout the city, and offered grants and tax benefits to residents to make housing, infrastructure, education, employment, business, tourism, and cultural events more affordable. Communications Minister Moshe Kahlon said that

9102-575: The complete Red line is due to take 42 minutes from Pisgat Ze'ev at one end to Mount Herzl at the other (as of August 2012, the travel time is 46 minutes ). The line operates Sunday through Thursday, from 5:30 am to 11:30 pm, on Friday up to an hour before sundown and not during the Shabbat or Jewish holidays , resuming half an hour after Shabbat or the Holiday ends. Commencing August 2, 2015, frequency will be every 3 minutes during rush hours and every 6 minutes in

9225-608: The context of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign, in September 2009 Veolia agreed to sell part of its share in the project to the Dan Bus Company for $ 15–20 million. The sale was however unsuccessful, and Veolia agreed in October 2010 to sell its stake to Egged instead. As of December 2011, the sale to Egged was reported to have been held up by the Israeli state. Travel over

9348-400: The contract for the maintenance of the light rail to Egged. The contract stipulates that Veolia would provide consultancy services to Egged until the company acquired the necessary expertise. Dan Bus Company has taken Veolia to court for exiting the principal agreement. Construction of Line 1 began in 2002 by DTC (Dutch tramway company). Dubbed the "Red Line", it initially has 23 stations on

9471-490: The control center, and trams are driven under line-of-sight principles with built-in priority at many road intersections. The fare collection and ticketing system is supplied by Affiliated Computer Services . The French-based company Veolia Transport , which held 5% of CityPass's shares, was originally meant to operate the light rail. However, due to pressure from groups united in the Derail Veolia campaign, operating within

9594-497: The daytime and at night. It is expected to carry up to 23,000 passengers an hour during peak morning rush hours . The light rail operates at a maximum speed of 50 km/h (31 mph). New regulations were passed by the government in regard to vehicle behavior vis-a-vis the light rail. Operations were affected by a labor dispute in 2011. In May 2012, security personnel complained of poor working condition and lack of transparency from their employers—allegations which were denied by

9717-582: The district's capital. 37% of the population is Palestinian, but in 2014 not more than 10% of tax revenues were allocated for them. In East Jerusalem, 52% of the land was excluded from development, 35% designated for Jewish settlements, and 13% for Palestinian use, almost all of which was already built upon. In Oslo I Accord , certain parts of few neighborhoods were allotted to the Palestinian Authority . Parts of Sur Baher , Wadi al-Hummus, Umm Leisun and Umm Tuba , altogether came under Area A , which

9840-511: The earliest extra-biblical Hebrew writing of the word Jerusalem is dated to the sixth or seventh century BCE and was discovered in Khirbet Beit Lei near Beit Guvrin in 1961. The inscription states: "I am Yahweh thy God, I will accept the cities of Judah and I will redeem Jerusalem", or as other scholars suggest: "Yahweh is the God of the whole earth. The mountains of Judah belong to him, to

9963-452: The earliest mention of the city. The form Yerushalem or Yerushalayim first appears in the Bible, in the Book of Joshua . According to a Midrash , the name is a combination of two names united by God, Yireh ("the abiding place", the name given by Abraham to the place where he planned to sacrifice his son ) and Shalem ("Place of Peace", the name given by high priest Shem ). One of

10086-513: The establishment of the state of Israel, the lost and found department for the Jerusalem District was added to the station; this department functions to this day. During the 1936–39 Arab revolt in Palestine , the police station served as a weapons depot for Haganah soldiers defending the city. Patai describes how in 1939, after joining the Haganah, he and his friend were assigned to guard duty in

10209-616: The existing Red Line tram route and run to Mount Scopus. There would be 36 stops, and ridership is predicted at 200,000 passengers/day. The line was approved by the Jerusalem city council in June 2016. Infrastructure and construction tenders have been issued and awarded. The first bus rapid transit (BRT) line, a feeder line to the Light Rail, is a dedicated bus line running along Hebron Road in south Jerusalem, northwards to Keren HaYesod Street, and from there to King George V Street , where it crosses

10332-438: The expiration policy is intentional." As of 2015 this policy still remains in place. Pinchas M. Orbach identified a technical issue where a customer would not be able to use a legitimate transfer. He wrote "The CityPass Rav Kav system is unable to properly read a '90 minute transfer from Egged' if a new virtual punch card was purchased on the Rav Kav in between the original Egged ride and the Light Rail ride." Therefore, even if

10455-406: The family could have been Marranos from Spain named Leone, or relatives of an Austrian royal family whose symbol was the lion. During infrastructure work for the construction of the Jerusalem Light Rail , the building's integrity was preserved. However, in order to accommodate the widening of the street and sidewalk, the stone wall and front garden were removed. The lion pillars were moved next to

10578-458: The first half year on fines. Litigative and legislative efforts have been made to curb CityPass's power in this regard. An appeal committee will be created to deal with requests to cancel fines. In 2012 Haviv Rettig Gur criticized CityPass for automatically expiring single ride tickets at the end of the day they were purchased even if they were never used. CityPass does not provide refunds. Rettig Gur wrote "Though I have no proof, I am convinced

10701-446: The government of Israel signed an agreement with the operator, CityPass, regarding the future operation of the light rail. The agreement was made public in 2012, and generated controversy over a clause where the government pledged to remove competition to the light rail from other public transportation. For instance, there would not be two consecutive bus stops on the same line adjacent to the light rail's route. CityPass stated that before

10824-435: The inauguration. After arbitration between CityPass and government officials, it was decided that the trains would begin limited operation as scheduled. During the trial period, only 14 of the 21 trains were put into operation, departing every 21 minutes, and travel was free of charge. Full revenue service began on December 1, 2011. As part of the light rail project, CityPass plans to install blind-friendly traffic lights along

10947-715: The kingdom's split, Jerusalem became the capital of the Kingdom of Judah until it was captured by the Neo-Babylonian Empire in 586 BCE. The Babylonians destroyed the First Temple, leading to the Babylonian exile of the Jewish population. After the Persian conquest of Babylon in 539 BCE, Cyrus the Great allowed the Jews to return and rebuild the city and its temple, marking the start of

11070-515: The latter was converted to an LRT-only way. In October 2010, residents of Jerusalem filed a NIS 1.2 billion class-action lawsuit against CityPass for the effects of the traffic congestion that the project's construction created, but the Jerusalem District Court ruled that the company could only be sued for air and noise pollution. Nir Barkat , mayor of Jerusalem, was also critical of the congestion. In March 2009, he proposed canceling

11193-499: The light rail stops on the Red Line. Initial rolling stock consists of 46 Citadis 302 100% low-floor five-module units manufactured at Alstom's Aytré factory. All axles are driven to handle gradients up to 9%. The first car was delivered via the Port of Ashdod in September 2007. The maintenance and storage depot is on a 10 acres (40,000 m ) site near French Hill in northern East Jerusalem. The route and vehicles are monitored from

11316-443: The light rail there had not been competition either, with all public transportation being operated by Egged . Upon buying a ticket, each traveler is required to validate it inside the rail car, and the fine for not doing so (or not buying a ticket) is NIS 186. This has created considerable controversy, and CityPass has been accused of handing out fines indiscriminately in order to raise its income—the company made NIS 2.4 million in

11439-572: The light rail were being laid in Shuafat , the remains of an ancient Roman–Jewish settlement were discovered. The settlement was described as a "sophisticated community impeccably planned by the Roman authorities, with orderly rows of houses and two fine public bathhouses to the north". The findings are said be the first indication of active Jewish settlement in the Jerusalem area after the city fell in 70 CE. [REDACTED] Jerusalem Jerusalem

11562-410: The lights is completed. When the light rail started operating on Friday, August 19, 2011, there were also air conditioning issues and electrical and communications problems, one of them making trains suddenly "disappear" and then "reappear" on the screens of the control center near the settlement of French Hill . In addition to these mishaps, the computerized ticketing system collapsed a few days before

11685-552: The majority of its seats. The headquarters of the Jerusalem Municipality and the mayor's office are at Safra Square ( Kikar Safra ) on Jaffa Road . The municipal complex, comprising two modern buildings and ten renovated historic buildings surrounding a large plaza, opened in 1993 when it moved from the old town hall building built by the Mandate authorities . The city falls under the Jerusalem District , with Jerusalem as

11808-429: The morning, when we were replaced by another two men. We went back to the police station, returned our gear, and went home to sleep. Throughout the months we performed this duty we never saw a suspicious movement, and, of course, never fired a single round. The stone house has two stories. The interiors are spacious, with vaulted ceilings and six rooms on each floor. The second-floor balconies have decorative ironwork. To

11931-422: The new high-speed railway to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv and Ben Gurion Airport . Passengers will also be able to board the existing intercity bus services at the station. A park and ride facility was built near Mount Herzl , consisting of a multi-storey car park with the first line terminal on its roof, which is actually at the street level of Herzl Boulevard. An additional parking lot was erected adjacent to

12054-472: The path of the light rail and continues along Straus Street towards Kikar HaShabbat to Yehezkel Street and Shmuel HaNavi Street , towards Golda Meir Boulevard in the direction of Ramot . Buses on this route are operated mainly by Superbus , but also by Egged . Tour buses, Arab buses and mini-buses that run from the Damascus Gate also use the line. The bus stops on this route have been designed to match

12177-560: The project after the first two lines were completed and replacing the rest of the planned rail network with buses. The closure of Jaffa Street has diverted the bus traffic to a nearby street causing a rise in traffic accidents there. The project was criticized because the Red Line route passes through territories Israel has held under occupation since the Six-Day War to service Israeli settlements such as French Hill and Pisgat Ze'ev . In consequence, Dutch bank ASN divested from Veolia Environnement . Both Veolia and Alstom were sued by

12300-532: The project was criticized for budget overruns , for its route serving Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem and for contributing to air and noise pollution during construction. The Green line's plans have been approved by the city of Jerusalem, with right-of-way clearing works underway. Construction tenders, including those for the red line extension, were awarded in August 2019 to TransJerusalem J-Net Ltd., owned by CAF and Shapir Engineering. The approval process on

12423-501: The project was criticized in May 2008 by State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss , who reported a 128% deviation in funds, from an estimated NIS 500 million to NIS 1.14 billion. It was also noted that the government had spent NIS 1.2 billion on the project up to 2007, which pointed to a further deviation. The total cost of the initial line (not including the planned extensions) is estimated at 3.8 billion NIS (approx. US $ 1.1 billion). In 2002,

12546-439: The project. In May 2010 the Jerusalem Municipality announced that the extensions would be built by the state authorities rather than a private company. The extension to Hadassah Hospital from Mount Herzl is particularly challenging and will involve a complex path with complicated bridging works. As of summer 2012, while works on the extension have not begun, the line's final terminal station, next to Hadassah's new inpatient building

12669-733: The public regarded it as a divided city. A poll conducted by Palestinian Centre for Public Opinion and American Pechter Middle East Polls for the Council on Foreign Relations, among East Jerusalem Arab residents in 2011 revealed that 39% of East Jerusalem Arab residents would prefer Israeli citizenship contrary to 31% who opted for Palestinian citizenship. According to the poll, 40% of Palestinian residents would prefer to leave their neighbourhoods if they would be placed under Palestinian rule. On 5 December 1949, Israel's first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion , proclaimed Jerusalem as Israel's "eternal" and "sacred" capital, and eight days later specified that only

12792-407: The rear of the building was a large garden planted with fruit trees and ornamental plants. This area was used for entertaining friends and acquaintances of the house's occupants. A stable for horses and donkeys was located next to the garden. The garden in the front of the house was smaller and enclosed by a stone wall. A pillar was placed on either side of the entrance in the wall, and atop each pillar

12915-542: The resolution, 22 of the 24 countries that previously had their embassy in (West) Jerusalem relocated them in Tel Aviv, where many embassies already resided prior to Resolution 478. Costa Rica and El Salvador followed in 2006. There are five embassies—United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Papua-New Guinea and Kosovo —and two consulates located within the city limits of Jerusalem, and two Latin American states maintain embassies in

13038-432: The route, and has developed a number of sites along the route, such as Davidka Square . In late 2009, trees were planted along the line. The species selected were deemed suitable to the Jerusalem climate, hardy enough to withstand the city's cold winters while providing shade in summer. Over 3,500 trees were planted along the route in 2009–11. The genera include platanus , ash and types of oak . In March 2011, however,

13161-522: The security company. Standard fares in Shekels are: Reduced fares are available for senior citizens (men 65+, women 60+), youth (under 18 or who are studying in class XII to the end of the school year), students owned "Student pass" (of other regions in Israel), the blind and those with approval by the Ministry of Welfare . One child under 5 with an adult rides for free. Israeli soldiers travel for free, under

13284-475: The sidewalk. The building was constructed in stages during the nineteenth century to be used as a residence for the British Consul-General of Jerusalem, Noel Temple Moore , and his family; Moore served in this official capacity from 1863 to 1890. At the time of its construction, it was the westernmost building on Jaffa Road from the direction of the Old City. The site, on the south side of the street,

13407-455: The status of East Jerusalem as the capital of the future Palestinian state. 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. The decision was reversed in October 2022. The Kiryat HaLeom (national precinct) project is intended to house most government agencies and national cultural institutions. They are located in

13530-467: The then Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak in 2000 concluded that the city must be divided, since Israel had failed to achieve any of its national aims there. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in 2014 that "Jerusalem will never be divided". A poll conducted in June 2013 found that 74% of Israeli Jews reject the idea of a Palestinian capital in any portion of Jerusalem, though 72% of

13653-522: The town, and its Jerusalem Affairs Offices are all located in Abu Dis. 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 . Under the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine adopted by

13776-542: The train's passengers are Arabs. In May 2009 it was reported that the Palestinian Authority had been urging Saudi Arabia through back channels to pressure Alstom and Veolia to abandon the project in return for the multi-billion dollar Haramain High Speed Rail Project and the $ 25 billion Gulf Railway project. The contract for the Haramain project was eventually awarded to a rival bidder. In November 2009, under

13899-486: The undivided capital of Israel. Due to its proximity to the city, especially the Temple Mount, Abu Dis , a Palestinian suburb of Jerusalem, has been proposed as the future capital of a Palestinian state by Israel. Israel has not incorporated Abu Dis within its security wall around Jerusalem. The Palestinian Authority has built a possible future parliament building for the Palestinian Legislative Council in

14022-413: The upper cities described by Josephus . Today, this valley is hidden by debris that has accumulated over the centuries. In biblical times, Jerusalem was surrounded by forests of almond, olive and pine trees. Over centuries of warfare and neglect, these forests were destroyed. Farmers in the Jerusalem region built stone terraces along the slopes to hold back the soil, a feature still very much in evidence in

14145-531: The walls of the Old City in the 19th century, the major thoroughfares of the city thus becoming the Jaffa Road , leading to the west in the direction of the coastal plain, the watershed routes (Ridge Route) leading north to Ramallah , Nablus , and Damascus , and south to Bethlehem and Hebron , and one to the east to Jericho . Early plans for an electric tramway were drawn up by a Greek Lebanese engineer, George Franjieh, in 1892, who had been involved in planning

14268-507: The war had "compelled" the Israeli leadership "to establish the seat of Government in Tel Aviv", while "for the State of Israel there has always been and always will be one capital only – Jerusalem the Eternal", and that after the war, efforts had been ongoing for creating the conditions for "the Knesset... returning to Jerusalem." This indeed took place, and since the beginning of 1950 all branches of

14391-517: Was a stone lion. The sculptor of the lions is unknown. Some believe they were sculpted by Simcha Yanover, who produced the similar-looking lions mounted on pillars in front of the Mashiach Borochoff House further east on Jaffa Road. Others aver that the statues were imported by a Bulgarian Jewish family who rented this residence. As the family name was Aryeh (Hebrew for "lion"), they chose these statues to memorialize themselves. Alternately,

14514-443: Was announced that signals for the trains were not compatible with Israeli stop light systems, CityPass was given until April 2011, but after the problem persisted and other safety issues were not resolved, an August 2011 date was settled on, and service was to begin without giving priority to trains at traffic lights. As a result, travel time for the full route began at 80 minutes instead of the planned 42, until final synchronization of

14637-550: Was chosen because it was adjacent to a Turkish guardtower which could offer protection to the solitary house. Later British consuls and their families also lived here until World War I. The neighborhood of Mahane Yehuda was established nearby, on the north side of Jaffa Road, in 1887. In 1920, when the British mandatory government went into effect, the house was converted into the Mahane Yehuda Police Station. Following

14760-538: Was elected mayor. Apart from the mayor and his deputies, City Council members receive no salaries and work on a voluntary basis. The longest-serving Jerusalem mayor was Teddy Kollek , who spent 28 years—six consecutive terms—in office. Most of the meetings of the Jerusalem City Council are private, but each month, it holds a session that is open to the public. Within the city council, religious political parties form an especially powerful faction, accounting for

14883-471: Was not recognized as such internationally because UN General Assembly Resolution 194 envisaged Jerusalem as an international city . As a result of the Six-Day War in 1967, the whole of Jerusalem came under Israeli control . On 27 June 1967, the government of Levi Eshkol extended Israeli law and jurisdiction to East Jerusalem, but agreed that administration of the Temple Mount compound would be maintained by

15006-484: Was the name of the god of dusk in the Canaanite religion , whose name is based on the same root S-L-M from which the Hebrew word for "peace" is derived ( Shalom in Hebrew , cognate with Arabic Salam ). The name thus offered itself to etymologizations such as "The City of Peace", "Abode of Peace", "Dwelling of Peace" ("founded in safety"), or "Vision of Peace" in some Christian authors. The ending -ayim indicates

15129-466: Was the term used by Matthew and Mark in their gospels instead of the Hebrew term. Up until the 2010's the consensus among historians was that following Alexander the Great 's conquest, Hierosoluma was set to be incorporated into the larger temple cities of the Seleucid kingdom , and to be Hellenized as Hierapolis. However, modern historians dispute this as a proper Ancient Greek translation for

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