Israel declares Jerusalem its capital city

On 4 January 1950, when Israeli Prime Minister Ben Gurion declares Jerusalem Israel’s capital city in spite of international protests, he ignores the fact that the eastern part of the city has been annexed by Jordan after the end of the Israeli-Arab War of 1949. He also defies the United Nations’ resolution of 29 November 1947 whereby the Holy City of three world religions is supposed to be placed under UN administration. In the Prime Minister’s own words: „Jerusalem is not only the capital city of Israel and of world Jewry, it should also become, according to the word of the prophets, the spiritual capital of the entire world.“

© Israel Seat of the Knesset from 1949 until 1966: Beit Frumin in King-George (Melech George) street in Jerusalem, today seat of the Ministry of Tourism

On 23 January 1950 the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset, also declares Jerusalem the country’s capital city. Nevertheless, many nations, the USA among them, establish their embassies in Tel Aviv, even though the Israeli Foreign Ministry has also been located in Jerusalem since 1953. Not until the 1967 Six-Day-War all of Jerusalem will come under Israeli control, a fact which changed little about its controversial status in international affairs.