Jerusalem

Jerusalem is the largest city in Israel. As of 2007, Jerusalem had an estimated population of 732,100.

Jerusalem has a history that is believed to go back almost 6,000 years, and has been the holiest city in Judaism for approximately 3,000 years. The city is also considered by Muslims to be the third holiest city in Islam, and is of course also a very important city for Christians too - containing many significant Christian sites. Some of the most important religious sites in the city include:

- The Temple Mount and Western Wall (for Jews).

- The al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock (for Muslims)

- The Church of the Holy Sepulchre (for Christians) - also known as the Church of the Resurrection - Containing the site of as Golgotha, the Hill of Calvary, where Jesus was crucified, and the location where Jesus was buried (the sepulchre). Today the church is also used as the headquarters for the Catholic Archpriest of the Basilia of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem.

The political status of Jerusalem remains an issue of dispute. The Israeli position is that East Jerusalem (captured in the 1967 Six Day War), is part of the state of Israel, and the whole of Jerusalem is the country's "eternal and indivisible" capital - however most countries do not recognize this claim (United Nations Security Council Resolution 478 explicitly rejected it), and maintain their embassies and other diplomatic missions in Tel Aviv. Meanwhile, the Palestinians also claim sovereignty over East Jerusalem, and hope to locate the capital of a future Palestinian state in East Jerusalem.

In 1995, the United States Congress passed the Jerusalem Act, sating that "Jerusalem should be recognized as the capital of the State of Israel; and the United States Embassy in Israel should be established in Jerusalem no later than May 31, 1999". Consequently official US government documents and web sites refer to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The US embassy in Israel has not however been moved yet, as to do so requires the agreement of the President.

By S. Tanna. First published at http://www.travelguide2israel.com/c1_cities_jerusalem.php

For more information about Israel, please visit http://www.travelguide2israel.com/

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