Jerusalem
The city of Jerusalem lies at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The old city of Jerusalem, which includes the Western Wall, the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the Dome of the Rock, has often been a flashpoint for violence. East Jerusalem, which is majority Palestinian, was annexed by Israel in the wake of the 1967 war and officially united with (majority Jewish) West Jerusalem.
Articles
The Residency Status of East Jerusalem’s Palestinians
Gilead Sher / INSS (October 28, 2015)
Revoking Israeli residency of Palestinians beyond the separation barrier in East Jerusalem is difficult from a legal point of view, as there is no law that authorizes Israel's government to do so. Read More >
Revealed: What a partitioned Jerusalem would look like
Nir Hasson / Haaretz (May 27, 2014)
An Israeli firm has been working for 10 years to perfect plans that would transform the city's 'natural' urban boundaries into a border between two future countries, in a nonthreatening and aesthetic manner. Read more >
Invisible Settlements in Jerusalem
Hagit Ofran | Palestine-Israel Journal (2011)
Peace Now's Settlements Watch Director looks at how Jerusalem tourist sights and settlements are being used to promote an exclusively Jewish narrative of the city's history. Read More >
Setting the Record Straight: Palestinians Can't Really Live in West Jerusalem
Lara Friedman / Americans for Peace Now (July 20, 2009)
Explanation of how Palestinians are effectively unable to purchase land in West Jerusalem, and face severe difficulties acquiring land in East Jerusalem as well. Read More >
Audio and Video
The Issue of Jerusalem in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Shaul Arieli (2013)
Outlines the issue of Jerusalem in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including historical background, past negotiating proposals, and the consequences of existing demographic trends if a peace agreement is not achieved. (5:12) Watch >
Two Peoples, One Capital?
The New York Times (2012)
Overview of Jerusalem as it pertains to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Residents, experts, and notable figures are interviewed. (8:08) Read More >
Jerusalem: City of David
60 Minutes (2011)
Lesley Stahl reports from under the city of Jerusalem from a controversial archeological dig that has become a flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (13:40) Watch >
James Carroll Extended Interview
Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly (2011)
Violence in Jerusalem is no surprise, says author James Carroll, "because that's the human story. The great thing about Jerusalem is it's a place where the human story gets transcended." (14:38) Watch >
Books
The Struggle for Jerusalem's Holy Places
Wendy Pullan, Maximilian Sternberg, Lefkos Kyriacou, Craig Larkin, and Michael Dumper | Routledge (2013)
Book Review (University of Cambridge) | CampusBooks
The Rise and Fall of Arab Jerusalem: Palestinian Politics and the City since 1967
Hillel Cohen | Routledge (2013)
Book Review (Jewish Book Council) | CampusBooks
Jerusalem, Jerusalem: How the Ancient City Ignited Our Modern World
James Carroll | Mariner Books (2012)
Book Review (Publisher's Weekly) | CampusBooks
Jerusalem: The Biography
Simon Sebag Montefiore | Vintage Books (2011)
Book Review (The New York Times) | CampusBooks
Official Documents
Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel
July 30, 1980
Constitutional law establishing the status of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Also addressed the unity of Jerusalem, its holy places, the rights of members of all religions, and special preference with regards to development. Read More >
Protection of Holy Places Law
June 27, 1967
Israel law passed in the wake of the 1967 war that guarantees protection and freedom of access for the holy sites in Jerusalem. Read More >
Public Opinion
Most Israelis believe a divided capital is already a foregone conclusion
Daniel K. Eisenbud / The Jerusalem Post (March 8, 2016)
Israeli Democracy Institute poll shows that a clear majority of Israelis (61%) believe Jerusalem is already a divided city. Read More >
Public Poll Findings: Peace with the Palestinians
S. Daniel Abraham Center / Dahaf (December, 2012)
Finds that roughly two thirds of Israelis would support a peace agreement establishing a demilitarized Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, Israel's retention of major settlement blocs and a division of Jerusalem. Also finds support for this position from majorities of voters in the right-wing parties of Likud-Beiteinu and Habayit Hayehudi PDF >
The Perils of Polling in East Jerusalem
Daniel Seidemann / Foreign Policy (February 23, 2012)
Expert analysis of recent polling that purports to show plurality support among East Jerusalem Palestinians for becoming Israeli citizens. Provides detailed explanation of the challenges involved in this polling and the reasons behind its likely inaccuracy. Read More >
Reports and Data Sources
East Jerusalem - By the Numbers
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (May 7, 2013)
Facts and figures on the life of Palestinians in Jerusalem, detailing the effects that Israeli policies have on their basic rights. Read More >
Spatial Shaping: Unilaterally Determining Israel's Base-Line Border
Terrestrial Jerusalem (2013)
Jerusalem expert Danny Seidemann outlines how the Israeli government has been using settlement construction to integrate parts of East Jerusalem into Israel while detaching them from the Palestinian population PDF >
U.S. (non)-Recognition of Sovereignty in Jerusalem: A Consistent Policy, pre-1948 - Present
Americans for Peace Now (2011)
APN's Lara Friedman provides an outline of the history of US policy regarding the status of Jerusalem. Includes dates, statements, and descriptions of relevant actions by US government bodies and officials. Read More >
The Planning/Construction Process in East Jerusalem
Terrestrial Jerusalem (2011)
Presentation detailing the intricacies of the planning and construction process in East Jerusalem. Includes information on each step of the planning process, how long they take, and which administrative bodies are responsible for their implementation (PDF).