Name

The origin of the name of the city is uncertain. It is possible to understand the name (Hebrew Yerushalayim) as either "Heritage of Salem" or "Heritage of Peace" - a contraction of "heritage" (yerusha) and Salem (Shalem literally "whole" or "in harmony") or "peace" (shalom). (See the Biblical commentator the Ramban for explanation.) "Shalem" is the original name used in Genesis 14:18 for the city. Similarly the Amarna Letters call the city Urušalim in Akkadian, a cognate of the Hebrew Ir Shalem ("city of Salem"). Some consider a connection between the name and Shalim - the deity personifying dusk known from Ugaritic myths and offering lists. The ending -ayim or -im has the appearance of the Hebrew dual or plural suffix respectively. It has been argued that it is a dual form representing the fact that the city lies on two hills however the treatment of the ending as a suffix makes the rest of the name incomprehensible in Hebrew. A Midrashic interpretation comes from Genesis Rabba, which explains that Abraham came to "Shalem" after rescuing Lot. Upon arrival, he asked the king and high priest Melchizedek to bless him, and Melchizedek did so in the name of the Supreme God (indicating that he, like Abraham, was a monotheist). According to exegetes, God immortalizes this encounter between Melchizedek and Abraham by renaming the city in honor of them: the name "Yeru" (derived from "Yireh", the name Abraham gives to Mount Moriah after unbinding Isaac, and explained in Genesis as meaning that God will be revealed there) is placed in front of "Shalem". The plural ending implies the community of all believers in the One God who testify to the city's holiness.

History

According to one Jewish tradition, Jerusalem was founded by Shem and Ever, ancestors of Abraham. It has played an important historical role at various times over the past several millennia.

The 1949 cease-fire line between Israel and Jordan, also known as the Green Line, cuts through the city. From 1949 until 1967, western Jerusalem was part of Israel and East Jerusalem was part of Jordan, as an integral part of the West Bank. From 1950 to 1967, the Israeli capital comprised solely of western Jerusalem. Since the 1967 Six-Day War, during which Israel occupied eastern Jerusalem and the West Bank, Israel has administered the eastern portion of the city and has asserted sovereignty over the entire city. The status of the eastern part of the city, which Israel captured during the Six-day War in 1967, is disputed. According to an Israeli law from January 1950, Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. At the time, this law referred to western Jerusalem, which was the part of the city incorporated in the state of Israel in 1948-1949. In 1967 the city was reunified and the eastern part was immediately separated administratively from the occupied West Bank and annexed to Israel. A Basic Law of Israel enacted in 1980 (the Jerusalem Law) reaffirmed Israel's contention that unified Jerusalem, including East Jerusalem, is the capital of Israel and the center of Jerusalem District. Since 1950, the city serves as the country's seat of government and its capital.

In 1980, the Israeli Knesset passed the Basic Law: Jerusalem — Capital of Israel reaffirming the status of Jerusalem as Israel's "eternal and indivisible capital". The UN Security Council Resolution 478 condemned the Jerusalem Law as "a violation of international law" and most countries prefer to keep their embassies in Tel Aviv. According to the United States Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 :(1) Jerusalem should remain an undivided city in which the rights of every ethnic and religious group are protected; (2) Jerusalem should be recognized as the capital of the State of Israel; and (3) the United States Embassy in Israel should be established in Jerusalem no later than May 31, 1999.

Jerusalem as Israeli capital

Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. This designation is internationally debated with regard to East Jerusalem. All the branches of Israeli government (Presidential, Legislative, Judicial and Administrative) are seated in Jerusalem. It is home to a number of key Israeli government buildings, including the Knesset, the Israeli Supreme Court and the houses of the President and Prime Minister. With the exception of the house of the premier (a regular apartment), these buildings can be toured.

The Palestinian Authority demands that the capital of a future Palestinian state should be situated in East Jerusalem. The position of the United Nations on the question of Jerusalem is contained in General Assembly resolution 181(11) and subsequent resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council concerning this question. According to the Oslo Agreements the discussion on Jerusalem was to be part of the permanent status negotiations.

Physical geography

Jerusalem is situated in 31°46′45″N, 35°13′25″E, upon the southern spur of a plateau the eastern side of which slopes from 2,460 ft. above sea-level north of the Temple area to 2,130 ft. at the southeastern extremity. The western hill is about 2,500 ft. high and slopes southeast from the Judean plateau.

Topography

Jerusalem is surrounded upon all sides by valleys, of which those on the north are less pronounced than those on the other three sides. The principal two valleys start northwest of the present city. The first runs eastward with a slight southerly bend (the present Wadi al-Joz), then, deflecting directly south (formerly known as "Kidron Valley", the modern Wadi Sitti Maryam), divides the Mount of Olives from the city. The second runs directly south on the western side of the city, turns eastward at its southeastern extremity, then runs directly east, and joins the first valley near Bir Ayyub ("Job's Well"). It was called in olden times the "Valley of Hinnom", and is the modern Wadi al-Rababi, which is not to be identified with the first-mentioned valley.

A third valley, commencing in the northwest where is now the Damascus Gate, ran south-southeasterly down to the Pool of Siloam, and divided the lower part into two hills (the lower and the upper cities of Josephus). This is probably the later Tyropoeon ("Cheese-makers'") valley. A fourth valley led from the western hill (near the present Jaffa Gate) over to the Temple area: it is represented in modern Jerusalem by David Street. A fifth cut the eastern hill into a northern and a southern part. Later Jerusalem was thus built upon four spurs. Today, neighboring towns are Bethlehem and Beit Jala at the southern city border, and Abu Dis to the East.

Climate and Environment

Jerusalem has warm and dry summers and, because of its altitude, relatively cold winters. It can sometimes snow. Because snow is rare, the city is not well equipped and much of the urban life comes to a halt when this occurs. Precipitation is 600 mm in a multi-year average, but much lower in the far east of the city. These parts are located on the edge of the Judean Desert (to the east).

There is almost no industrial pollution in Jerusalem. Most pollutants are the product of heavy bus and person vehicle traffic, especially along the arterial roads, and a by-product from heavy building. With this exception, air pollution is low. The building code in Jerusalem prescribes that all buildings should be covered with natural stone. Although this makes building costs somewhat more expensive, it gives the city a very distinct look in comparison with other cities. Only few buildings, mostly from the 50s, were not built according to this code.

With the exception of the central plateau, many neighborhoods are divided by deep valleys, which are the natural green areas of the city. To the west of the city is the larger Jerusalem forest. Especially in open spaces near major roads, large parks were developed. To the east and the southeast of the Old City, where little grows without constant irrigation, promenades with parks were developed, which allow walkers to enjoy the view of the Old City, the Judean Desert, the irrigated vegetation, and - depending on location and weather conditions - the Dead Sea and Jordanian mountains.

People and culture

Demography

When it first appears in historical records, Jerusalem was inhabited by a Canaanite tribe. The Bible specifies them as the Jebusites, and says they ruled it until its conquest by King David. After taking control of the city from the Canaanites, Jews formed the majority of the population until Jerusalem's destruction by Rome in the second century. Subsequent demographic changes are uncertain, although the city's population probably attained a Muslim majority by the time of the Crusades. An official 16th century survey confirms that the city was largely Muslim. By 1844, Jews were the largest single ethnic group in the city and formed a majority by the late 19th century.

According to the current official census as of 2003, Jerusalem's population was 693,200, of which 464,500 (67.0%) were Jews (38% of which live in East Jerusalem) and 228,700 (33.0%) were non-Jews (note that this number is for the expanded municipality of Jerusalem as claimed by Israel, which includes outlying Arab villages and neighborhoods in East Jerusalem which were not part of Jordanian East Jerusalem prior to 1967).

Culture

Jerusalem houses many museums. The Israel Museum is undoubtedly the most famous. It includes a large collection of art and archaeological artifacts. In the "Shrine of the Book", it exhibits the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Rockefeller Museum is the city's specific museum for archeology. The Ticho House provides an art collections in a historical building. The Tower of David Museum is the main municipal museum, it includes models of the city and changing exhibits. Yad Vashem is the national holocaust museum and monument. The Islamic Museum in the Old City and Islamic Art Museum near the President's house both have collections of Islamic art, holy scripts and artifacts.

The city has two professional orchestras, the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra-IBA and the Israel Camerata Jerusalem. In walking distance from the old city (southwest) is a cluster of cultural institutions. The Khan Theater is Jerusalem's only repertory theater. The Jerusalem Cinematheque is the venue in Jerusalem to watch non-commercial movies. It houses annually an international film festival and a Jewish film festival. In the Sultan Pool open air concerts are held, by Israeli artists and guests from abroad. The Jerusalem Music Center in Mishkanot Sheananim hosts chamber music concerts and workshops.

The main cultural event of the year is the Israel Festival, with international and local street performances and repertory and alternative musicians and theater groups.

Economy

Heavy industry is discouraged in Jerusalem, while Tel Aviv remains Israel's financial capital, leaving Jerusalem's economy as mainly service-based. Almost half of Jerusalem's residents work in government, public service, or tourism, although there has been an increasing number of high-technology start-ups in the city, as well.

The civilian labor force of Jerusalem was 183.000 (48.1%) out of 384.000 persons ages 15+. This is low in comparison to Tel Aviv and Haifa, 58.0% and 52.4% respectively. This reflects a higher percentage of one income households, especially among the Arab and Haredi populations. The average wage for Jerusalem worker was NIS 4,200 in 1994. In Tel Aviv the income was 16.1% higher in Haifa 23% higher. Income in Jerusalem was on average lower both for wage-earners and self-employed people.

The population of Jerusalem is poor in comparison to Israeli national figures. In 1995 25% of the city population and 37% of its children lived below poverty level, as compared to 17% of all Israelis and 23% of Israeli children. Here too, the difference can be attributed to the large Arab and Haredi population segments.

Transportation

Roads

Begin Boulevard is West Jerusalem's inner city expressway. It goes North to South from Atarot to Malcha. Other major boulevards include the Talpiyot-Atarot route, which goes South to North and crosses East Jerusalem and West Jerusalem altogether. Herzl Boulevard passes west of Begin blvd, starts at the entrance of the city (North) and continues South via Mt. Herzl and Yad VaShem memorial. It then blends into additional routes that lead to the Southern quarters. The Golomb-Herzog-Ben-Zvi route is the last major route that links the southern quarters into the city center and major entrance. Jaffa Road is the main street crossing Jerusalem from the western entrance to the city all the way up to Jaffa Gate and East Jerusalem.