East Jerusalem refers to the eastern part of Jerusalem that was captured by Israel from Jordan during the 1967 Six-Day War.

It includes the Old City of Jerusalem, which contains some of the holiest sites of Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

East Jerusalem is one of the most disputed areas in the Israel-Palestine conflict because both Israelis and Palestinians attach deep historical, religious and political importance to it.

Historical Background

After the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Jerusalem was divided.

West Jerusalem came under Israeli control, while East Jerusalem, including the Old City, came under Jordanian control.

In the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel captured East Jerusalem along with the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Sinai Peninsula and Golan Heights. After this, Israel expanded Jerusalem’s municipal boundaries and applied Israeli law and administration to East Jerusalem. Britannica notes that Israel occupied the Jordanian sector in 1967, expanded city boundaries, and later reaffirmed Jerusalem as its capital through a 1980 law.

Present Status

Israel considers the whole of Jerusalem, including East Jerusalem, as its capital.

However, Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state.

Most of the international community does not recognise Israel’s annexation of East Jerusalem and treats it as part of the occupied Palestinian territory. The International Court of Justice’s 2024 advisory opinion summary noted that Israeli domestic law has been applied in East Jerusalem since 1967 and that Israel treats East Jerusalem as its own territory.

Why East Jerusalem is Important

East Jerusalem is important because it combines religion, territory, identity and sovereignty.

It includes:

• Al-Aqsa Mosque compound / Haram al-Sharif
• Western Wall
• Church of the Holy Sepulchre
• Old City
• Palestinian neighbourhoods such as Sheikh Jarrah, Silwan and Shuafat

Because of these sites, any change in East Jerusalem often creates strong political and religious reactions across the Middle East.

Legal Dispute

The legal dispute is mainly about whether Israel’s control over East Jerusalem is valid under international law.

Israel argues that Jerusalem is its unified capital.

Palestinians and most international bodies argue that East Jerusalem is occupied territory and that its final status should be decided through negotiations.

The United Nations has repeatedly referred to the occupied Palestinian territory as including East Jerusalem. The UN Human Rights Council continues to use the phrase “Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem” in its mandate and reporting.

Settlements

Israeli settlements in and around East Jerusalem are one of the biggest points of dispute.

Settlements are controversial because they change facts on the ground and make a future Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem more difficult.

UN bodies and most countries consider Israeli settlements in occupied territory illegal under international law. In 2025, the UN human rights office said a major Israeli settlement plan between the West Bank and East Jerusalem would violate international law and could undermine the possibility of a Palestinian state.

Palestinian Concerns

Palestinians in East Jerusalem face several issues.

These include:

• House demolitions
• Settlement expansion
• Residency insecurity
• Restrictions on construction permits
• Movement restrictions
• Pressure on Palestinian neighbourhoods
• Unequal municipal services
• Threat of displacement

These issues make East Jerusalem not only a diplomatic dispute, but also a daily governance and human rights issue.

Strategic Importance

East Jerusalem is central to the two-state solution.

For Palestinians, a viable Palestinian state is difficult to imagine without East Jerusalem as its capital.

For Israel, control over united Jerusalem is seen as a matter of national and religious identity.

This is why East Jerusalem remains one of the most difficult final-status issues in peace negotiations, along with borders, refugees, settlements and security.

Conclusion

East Jerusalem is one of the most contested territories in the world.

It is important because it contains sacred religious sites, Palestinian neighbourhoods, Israeli settlements and the symbolic capital claims of both sides.

The core dispute is simple but deeply difficult: Israel claims a unified Jerusalem as its capital, while Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state. Any lasting peace settlement will have to address East Jerusalem’s political, legal, religious and humanitarian dimensions.