East Jerusalem

About the city:

• East Jerusalem or Eastern Jerusalem is the sector of Jerusalem city that was occupied by Jordan during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, as opposed to the western sector of the city, West Jerusalem, which was occupied by Israel.
• Since the 1967 Arab–Israeli War, East Jerusalem has been under the control of Israel and is considered to be a occupied territory by the international community.
• This area includes Jerusalem's Old City and some of the holiest sites of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, such as the Temple Mount, the Western Wall, the al-Aqsa Mosque, the Dome of the Rock and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, as well as a number of adjacent neighborhoods.
• In the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)'s Palestinian Declaration of Independence of 1988, Jerusalem is stated to be the capital of the State of Palestine.
• The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) recognised East Jerusalem as capital of the State of Palestine on 13 December 2017.

Israeli Settlements in East Jerusalem

• Since its annexation, Israel has expanded settlements in East Jerusalem, which is now home for some 220,000 Jews.
• Jews born in East Jerusalem are Israeli citizens, while Palestinians in the city are given conditional residency permits.
• Palestinians in East Jerusalem, unlike other parts of the occupied West Bank, can, however, apply for Israeli citizenship.
• Most of international community considers the Israeli settlements in the territory as illegal.

The current crisis and Al-Aqsa mosque:

• Al-Aqsa Mosque is located in the Old City of Jerusalem, is the third holiest site in Islam.
• The mosque was built on top of the Temple Mount, known as the Al Aqsa Compound or Haram esh-Sharif in Islam.
• The mount is believed to be the location of first and second temples of Jews, making it one of the holiest sites of Jews.
• The Temple Mount is venerated as a holy site in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam alike and thus also a frequent site of Israel Palestine Tensions.

Prelims Question

Consider the following statements regarding East Jerusalem:
1.Al Aqsa mosque is situated in East Jerusalem.
2.It is located between Gaza strip and Israel.
Which of these statements are correct?
(a)1 only
(b)2 only
(c)Both 1 and 2 
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

Answer to prelims question