This should never be a divided city. It is the holy places of several religions, but truly only belongs to one. So much divisiveness has ensued over a city of 48 square miles, and 750,000 residents. While the history is extensive, a short over view might help. the modern city of jerusalem has grown beyond it's original boundaries. The old city goes back to the 4th century BC, and has been the spiritual home of the jewish people since the 10th century BC. While also containing numerous Christian sites, it is the 3rd holiest place in the islamic world. The old city by comparison only covers an area .4 of a sq. mile. It includes the temple mount,western wall,church of the holy sepulcre the dome of the rock and al aqsa mosque. In the early 19th century it was divided into four quarters the Armenian, Christian, jewish and Muslim quarters. A city rich in history, it has been destroyed twice, under seige 23 times, attacked 52 times and captured/re-captured 44 times. As part of the original 1948 war ending, jordan was given control of part of the city. This was captured by the israeli's in the 1967 war, and due to the fact that they were not allowed to enter that portion while in the jordanian hands, they have decided to keep it. They have annexed E. jerusalem, which the muslims consider the future capital of the palestinian state. the city in historic terms was formerly known as the City of David to the Jews, and Al Quds to the muslims. The original 1948 plan called for the UN to create an international regime there, allowing access to all. But the proposed referrundum was never carried out and the contentions continue to this day. In 1980 the israeli's declared Jerusalem it's capital city. The UN declared this "null and void" in it's continued desire to form an international city. And that is pretty much where things stand today. Religious and governmental agencies arguing and fighting over territory they want. While one would be hard pressed to deny the Jews historic claims to the city, One would have to also define which city they are talking about, The old or the new? Big difference. And since there is no such thing as a Palestinian state, there is nothing to base the muslims claim on. Other than a piece being the purported site where Mohammed rose to heaven.And they already have two other holy cities to call they're own. I tend to look at it in more modern ways. the israeli's did after all re-capture the entire jerusalem from the jordanians in 1967, after the jordanians and other arab states attacked them. By international law, this is now theirs. It should serve as a lesson to any state that decides to act non-inclusively when in control of that which others spiritually revere. I think the Israeli's have made the right decision in deciding to keep the city and declare it it's capital. But in that neck of the woods, things have a way of changing overnight.