East Jerusalem

East Jerusalem
אסף.צ at Hebrew Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	East Jerusalem
Native name	القدس الشرقية
Settlement type	Palestinian neighbourhoods and Israeli-administered areas
Subdivision type	Claimed by
Subdivision name	State of Palestine, Israel
Established title	Ottoman period to present
Population total	~350,000
Population as of	2020s
Area total km2	~70

East Jerusalem is the sector of Jerusalem lying east of the Green Line captured by the Israel Defense Forces during the Six-Day War in 1967 and later annexed by Israel through the Jerusalem Law. The area contains the Old City of Jerusalem, holy sites such as the Temple Mount, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and is claimed by the Palestine Liberation Organization and the State of Palestine as the capital of a future Palestinian state. Its status remains one of the most contentious issues in relations among Israel, the Palestinian Authority, the United Nations Security Council, and international actors including the United States, the European Union, and the Arab League.

History

The area experienced Ottoman administration under the Ottoman Empire until the British Mandate for Palestine created new municipal boundaries, later contested during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War when the Jordanian Legion occupied sectors and Jordan annexed the area in 1950. During the Six-Day War of 1967 the Israel Defense Forces seized the sector from Jordan, prompting the subsequent passage of the Jerusalem Law by the Knesset and administrative integration under Israeli civil institutions such as the Jerusalem Municipality. International responses included resolutions from the United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Security Council, notably UN Security Council Resolution 242 and UN Security Council Resolution 478. Palestinian national movements, including the Palestine Liberation Organization and later the Palestinian National Authority, have sought diplomatic recognition for the area as the capital of Palestine, advancing claims at bodies such as the International Court of Justice and the United Nations General Assembly.

Geography and neighborhoods

The sector encompasses the Old City of Jerusalem with its four quarters, and newer neighborhoods stretching north, east, and south beyond the Old City of Jerusalem walls into areas such as Mount of Olives, Silwan, Sheikh Jarrah, Shuafat, Ras al-Amud, Wadi al-Joz, Beit Hanina, Neve Yaakov, and Givat Ze'ev environs. Topographically the area includes the Mount of Olives ridge, the Kidron Valley, and urban expansions toward Ma'ale Adumim and Anata. Transportation arteries link to Highway 1 (Israel), the Jerusalem Light Rail, and access routes to Ben Gurion Airport and the Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area. Green spaces and archaeological sites intersect with contemporary residential and commercial districts near institutions like Al-Quds University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem campuses.

Demographics

The population comprises predominantly Palestinian Arabs with communities of Jewish Israelis, Armenian Christians, and international residents; municipal statistics and Palestinian sources give different counts, with figures around 300,000–400,000 residents. Religious composition includes Sunni Islam adherents concentrated in neighborhoods adjacent to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Christian communities centered in the Christian Quarter (Jerusalem), Armenian populations in the Armenian Quarter, and Jewish residents in neighborhoods such as French Hill and Pisgat Ze'ev. Migration, birth rates, residency permit policies administered by the Israeli Interior Ministry, and patterns of settlement expansion by organizations like the Jerusalem Institute for Policy Research and various non-governmental organizations influence demographic trends.

Governance and legal status

Following the Six-Day War, the Knesset enacted the Jerusalem Law, applying Israeli jurisdiction and administration through the Jerusalem Municipality; the Basic Laws of Israel and municipal regulations govern many services. The international community, including resolutions from the United Nations Security Council and foreign ministries of states such as the United States Department of State, generally does not recognize the annexation and regards the area as occupied territory under the Geneva Conventions as interpreted by many international legal scholars and resolutions. Palestinian municipal and political institutions, including the Palestinian National Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization, assert claims and maintain institutions and non-governmental services, while Israeli civil and security bodies such as the Israel Police and the Israel Defense Forces control security and administrative access. Legal disputes over residency, building permits adjudicated in the Supreme Court of Israel, and international petitions to bodies like the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice shape the contested legal landscape.

Economy and infrastructure

Economic activity includes tourism tied to sites like the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Mount of Olives; local commerce in markets such as the Arab souks in Jerusalem; and employment in public sector services tied to the Jerusalem Municipality, Palestinian Authority organizations, and private firms. Infrastructure projects by entities like the Jerusalem Development Authority and Israeli ministries have encompassed the Jerusalem Light Rail and municipal utilities, while Palestinian business initiatives and institutions such as Al-Quds University and charitable organizations provide services and economic development. Restrictions on movement, permit regimes overseen by the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, and disputes over land expropriation involving organizations such as Elad (organization) affect investment, construction, and neighborhood economies.

Culture and religion

The area is a focal point for Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, hosting pilgrimage sites including the Temple Mount, the Dome of the Rock, the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Western Wall. Religious authorities such as the Waqf, the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, and the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem administer significant holy places, with custodial arrangements rooted in instruments like the Status Quo (Jerusalem) understanding. Cultural institutions include the Israel Museum, the Yad Vashem memorial nearby, the Jerusalem Cinematheque, and community centers linked to organizations such as UNRWA. Festivals, liturgies, processions during Holy Week (Christianity), Eid al-Fitr, and Jewish observances at the Western Wall contribute to a dense calendar of religious and cultural life.

Conflict and peace efforts

The sector has been central to recurring tensions and clashes involving Israeli security forces, Palestinian groups including Hamas and Fatah, and settler movements represented by organizations such as Ateret Cohanim and Gush Emunim. Violent episodes have intersected with events like the First Intifada, the Second Intifada, and sporadic confrontations at sites such as Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif. Diplomatic initiatives addressing the area's status have been part of negotiations in talks mediated by actors like the United States, the Quartet on the Middle East, and the Madrid Conference of 1991, with proposals including division, shared sovereignty, and international administration put forward in forums such as the Road map for peace (2003). International responses include statements and resolutions from the United Nations Security Council, bilateral actions by states such as the United States recognizing municipal changes in specific diplomatic moves, and legal challenges in international courts and human rights bodies including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch reports.

Category:Neighborhoods of Jerusalem