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Map of Jerusalem — Best attractions, restaurants, and transportation info

What’s on this map.

We’ve made the ultimate tourist map of Jerusalem, Israel for travelers! Check out Jerusalem’s top things to do, attractions, restaurants, and major transportation hubs all in one interactive map.

Visiting Jerusalem? See our Jerusalem Trip Planner.

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Use this interactive map to plan your trip before and while in Jerusalem. Learn about each place by clicking it on the map or read more in the article below. Here’s more ways to perfect your trip using our Jerusalem map:

• Explore the best restaurants, shopping, and things to do in Jerusalem by categories
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Top 20 attractions in Jerusalem

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The eucalyptus, transportation in jerusalem, nearby airports, queen alia international airport, ben gurion airport, highways and major roads.

• Route 1 - Jerusalem-Tel Aviv Highway
• Route 60 - The Road of the Patriarchs
• Route 38 - Jerusalem-Beit Shemesh Road
• Route 443 - Modi'in-Jerusalem Road
• Route 437 - Jerusalem-Ma'ale Adumim Road
• Route 436 - Jerusalem-Dead Sea Highway
• Route 34 - Jerusalem-Hebron Road
• Route 4361 - Jerusalem-Abu Dis Road
• Route 417 - Jerusalem-Atarot Road
• Route 4172 - Jerusalem-Neve Ya'akov Road

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Explore nearby places

• Al-Eizariya
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• Ma'ale HaHamisha
• Kokhav Ya'akov
• Yad Hashmona
• Kfar Adumim
• Ramat Raziel
• Gush Etzion
• Beit Shemesh
• Neve Shalom
• Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut

All related maps of Jerusalem

• Map of Ein Kerem
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Jerusalem throughout the year

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17 Top Things to Do in Jerusalem

By Alex Schultz · Last updated on May 4, 2024

One of the most fiercely contested places on Earth, Jerusalem is home to many of Christianity’s, Islam’s and Judaism’s most important holy sites; the wealth of historic, religious and cultural landmarks is astonishing. Now part of Israel, Jerusalem has been fought over for millennia. At one time or another, the Mamluks, Ottomans, Christians, and Muslims have all ruled, with each of them leaving their mark.

Despite its diminutive size, the Old City probably contains more incredible tourist attractions than many countries do. The Dome of the Rock, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Western Wall are just three of the astonishing sites you can expect to delight in.

Walking through its ancient streets is a mesmerizing experience and the pilgrims of all faiths clogging the passages only add to the intoxicating atmosphere. A special place like no other, Jerusalem offers an endless list of things to do and tourist attractions, such is the wealth of history on show.

17. Church of All Nations

Located on the Mount of Olives that looks out over Jerusalem, the Church of all Nations is an important historical site. It contains a bedrock upon which Jesus is said to have prayed prior to being arrested.

While the current church was consecrated in 1652, it actually lies on the foundations of two older churches, with the earliest dating to the 4th century AD.

The church is named for the many different countries that donated various mosaics and apses to it; each of their coat-of-arms can now be found amidst the designs and religious motifs on show.

16. Jaffa Gate

This delightful stone portal is set in Jerusalem’s imposing walls and is one of the main entrances to the Old City.

Its distinctive L shape helped defenders protect the gate and the sand-colored blocks certainly do look impenetrable.

Dating to 1538, Jaffa Gate opens out onto the Christian Quarter on one side and the Armenian Quarter on the other, and you’ll find a constant stream of pedestrians pouring beneath its ancient arch.

15. Jewish Quarter

Although part of the Jewish Quarter was bombed and destroyed during the 1948 Arab – Israeli War, much of it has been rebuilt, giving it a newer feel than many other parts of the city.

That’s not to say that there aren’t lots of historic and religious sites – the Western Wall and Hurva Synagogue are located here, among other important sights.

Wandering around the Jewish Quarter is one of the most interesting things to do in Jerusalem and visitors should definitely make sure to head to the atmospheric Cardo shopping street that was built back in Roman times.

14. Damascus Gate

Located in the northwest walls of the city, Damascus Gate is one of the main entrances to Jerusalem’s Old City. It certainly is impressive to behold with its wonderful crenulations and the two towers that flank it.

Built in 1537, the current gate has weathered numerous wars and invasions. Excavations indicate that a gate stood here as early as 130 CE.

Passing through it is an amazing experience as you follow in the footsteps of so many people who came before you, and walking along the ramparts offers a great view from above.

13. Mount of Olives

Lying just outside the Old City, the Mount of Olives looks out over Jerusalem. From its hillside, there are incredible views of Temple Mount and the glimmering Dome of the Rock.

As well as a scenic spot, it is also a historic and religious site; it is home to a large Jewish cemetery and numerous churches can also be seen here and there, such as the beautiful Russian Orthodox Church.

The oldest continually used cemetery in the world, the Mount of Olives is definitely worth checking out if you have time.

12. Tower of David

Known by some as the Jerusalem Citadel, the Tower of David offers up some of the best views of the Old City and is a fascinating place to visit. Some of the archaeological finds date back more than 2000 years.

Remarkably well preserved, the current citadel dates to Mamluk and Ottoman times and was built upon much older fortifications.

Located on site is the Tower of David Museum, offering an interesting look at over 4000 years of Jerusalem’s history through interactive exhibitions, holograms, and maps.

11. Via Dolorosa

Believed to have been the street along which Jesus walked during his crucifixion, the aptly named ‘Way of Sorrow’ is a historic street which runs through Jerusalem’s Old City.

Starting off from the Lion’s Gate, pilgrims and tourists alike can retrace Christ’s steps, ending up at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where Jesus is believed to have been crucified.

Via Dolorosa is marked with nine stations depicting various parts of his journey; there are five more in the church itself. Every Friday, there is a procession along the route. Taking part in it will really make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time.

10. Dome of the Rock

Lying atop of Temple Mount, the Dome of the Rock sparkles in the sun and is recognized around the world. It is one of Jerusalem’s most famous landmarks.

Built between 688 and 691, the temple is home to a slab of stone from which Muslims believe the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven.

While only Muslims are allowed inside, the Dome’s outside is spectacular to behold. Bright blue mosaics coat the walls and the iconic gold plated dome sits atop, looking out over Jerusalem.

9. Western Wall Tunnels

Jerusalem’s long, tumultuous history has seen the city destroyed and rebuilt numerous times, which means that much of it is built on and out of the rubble and ruins of buildings that came before them.

As such, numerous tunnels snake their way beneath the Old City. A guided tour of the Western Wall tunnels offer visitors the chance to go back to the time of the second temple and explore a stretch of this fascinating underground world.

Running adjacent to the Western Wall, the tunnels are narrow and a bit claustrophobic but well worth checking out for the wealth of history on display.

8. Mahane Yehuda Market

This bustling market that has been around since Ottoman times is loads of fun to visit. The myriad colorful stalls are laden with everything from fruit and vegetables to pastries and fresh juice.

Offering an authentic look at life in the Holy City, Mahane Yehuda Market has numerous sections to it; some alleys are home to butchers while others host clothes and coffee sellers.

At night, the market transforms and many people come here for its great restaurants and bars.

7. City of David

Another attraction that is mired in controversy because it is now in an illegal Israeli settlement, the City of David is one of Jerusalem’s most important archaeological sites.

Located just outside of the Old City, it is here that King David first built the city of Jerusalem. Amidst the rubble and rocks, there are two ancient stone tunnels for you to walk along.

Adventurous travelers will love Hezekial’s Tunnel, which was once an aquifer. Water sometimes comes up to your knees as you wade along in the dark with a torch in hand.

6. The Garden Tomb

This marvelous rock-cut tomb dates back to the 8th-7th centuries BC and some Christians believe that it is where Jesus was buried and later rose from the dead.

Consequently, many pilgrims and tourists come to visit the peaceful gardens in which it is located, although it still remains a nice quiet spot away from the crowds that clog the Old City’s ancient streets.

Located next to the ominously named Skull Hill, there is much debate as to whether Jesus really was buried here, but is worth visiting in any case.

5. Temple Mount

Venerated throughout the centuries by all three of the Abrahamic religions, Temple Mount lies at the heart of the Old City and is one of the most fiercely contested pieces of land in the world.

Containing the Al Aqsa Mosque, it is the third most important site in Island and the holiest site in Judaism. It is here that the First and Second Temples were erected.

Wandering across the ancient limestone pavings of the huge cypress tree-fringed complex is a peaceful affair, despite the millennia of conflict that have plagued it. The highlight is seeing the Dome of the Rock with its iconic golden dome glistening in the sun.

4. Yad Vashem

A moving and emotional place, visiting Yad Vashem is a must when in Jerusalem. It is Israel’s official memorial to those who were brutally murdered during the Holocaust.

Lying on the slopes of Mount Herzl, the commemorative site contains the Holocaust Memorial Museum, which takes you through the horrific atrocities that the Nazis committed. Seeing all the photos of those who died in ‘the Hall of Names’ is something you’ll never forget.

While many of the audio, video, and items on display are shocking, just as many symbolize rebirth and ‘The Eternal Flame’ exhibit is a perfect example of this.

3. Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Believed to be the site where Jesus was crucified and later rose from the dead, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre contains two of Christendom’s most sacred sites. Its gloomy, atmospheric interior definitely warrants a visit when in Jerusalem.

Packed with pilgrims and tourists, the church is run by several Christian denominations, who reluctantly share responsibility amongst themselves. Consecrated in 335 AD, the church has been damaged, destroyed and rebuilt numerous times over the centuries

Entering the church after having wandered through the ancient stone courtyard is a memorable experience. Despite the crowds, it is a strangely peaceful place to visit. Seeing the Edicule shrine in which Jesus’s empty tomb lies will surely send shivers down your spine.

2. Israel Museum

Opened in 1965, the Israel Museum’s fantastic collection covers over 5000 years of history and its main focus is on art and archaeology.

Wandering through the archaeological galleries, you’ll find a wealth of artifacts discovered in the region, and items from the Islamic world, Near East, Italy, and Greece are all represented. The renowned Dead Sea Scrolls are just one of the highlights; gazing at the ancient biblical manuscripts is an awe-inspiring experience.

The Jewish Art and Life Wing of the museum is just as interesting to visit. Here, you can learn a lot about Jewish culture and traditions such as bridal and funerary practices.

1. Western Wall

The holiest site in Judaism is fascinating to visit and there is an electric atmosphere, as Orthodox Jews rock back and forth, praying at the Western Wall.

Supporting one side of Temple Mount, the area now acts as a de-facto synagogue. It is often known as the Wailing Wall, as Jews throughout the ages have come here to mourn the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE.

A must-see when in Jerusalem, visitors can stop by the segregated worship areas and experience the intoxicating ambiance themselves. You can even write a prayer and slip it into the cracks between the stones of the huge, white, rock wall.

Map of Things to Do in Jerusalem

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Jerusalem tourist map

You can find on this page the Jerusalem tourist map to print and to download in PDF. The Jerusalem tourist attractions map presents the monuments, museums, parks and points of interest of Jerusalem in Israel.

Map of Jerusalem points of interest

The Jerusalem sightseeing map shows all tourist places and points of interest of Jerusalem. This tourist attractions map of Jerusalem will allow you to easily plan your visits of landmarks of Jerusalem in Israel. The Jerusalem tourist map is downloadable in PDF, printable and free.

Malh'a on Jerusalem tourist map, is the largest and most popular shopping tourist center in Jerusalem tourist destinations. Jerusalem tourist map is a covered shopping area, built by David Azrieli, located in the namesake neighborhood of Jerusalem tourist center. The shopping center has 3 levels and many popular brand stores such as H & M and Zara, as well as a large Kosher food court, supermarket, Superpharm pharmacy, Office Depot, etc.

You will dive into the world of Judaism at the Israel tourist Museum and the Bible Lands Museum in Jerusalem on Jerusalem tourist map. You will examine all species of fauna and flora, including the species mentioned in the Bible, in Biblical Zoo of Jerusalem tourist map. You will appreciate the smells and colors of the Mahane Yehuda Market and the picturesque Nahlaot neighborhood that borders it in Jerusalem tourist destinations.

If you are looking for authentic local tourist products, the Arab Souk of the Old City in Jerusalem on Jerusalem tourist map is the ideal place. Located in Muslim and Christian neighborhoods of Jerusalem tourist destinations, enter via Jaffa Gate and go directly to the Muslim Quarter. Once you see dresses and high dresses, you'll know you're in the right place in Jerusalem tourist destinations.

Jerusalem attractions map

Map of Jerusalem tourist places

The Jerusalem attractions map shows the main monuments, museums and parks of Jerusalem. This tourist places map of Jerusalem will allow you to easily plan your visits of tourist attractions of Jerusalem in Israel. The Jerusalem attractions map is downloadable in PDF, printable and free.

It allows you to enjoy one of the most beautiful attractions of Jerusalem on Jerusalem attractions map. To begin the walk (also called Haas walk), you must go to the neighborhoods of German Colony one of Jerusalem attractions, then Talpiot, along the avenue Daniel Yanovsky. There are several levels, but all offer an extraordinary view, especially with the raking sunrise or sunset light that illuminates the ocher of the Old City of Jerusalem attractions.

The most famous attractions of Jerusalem are on Jerusalem attractions map. During the day, Jerusalem attractions offer abundant stalls of fruits, vegetables, cakes, spices, all from the country. And at night, once the storefronts are down (all tagged by street art artists), its alleys and the surrounding streets turn into clubs one of Jerusalem attractions, music to the bottom, where one dances, sings, drinks and eats.

The Wailing Wall in Jerusalem on Jerusalem attractions map, also known as the Western Wall attractions, or HaKotel in Hebrew, is a remnant of the second temple of Jerusalem one of Jerusalem attractions, as reconstructed and embellished by Herod from the 1st century BC. this one of Jerusalem attractions was however destroyed in 70 AD, during the Judeo-Roman War.

Jerusalem zoo map

Map of Jerusalem zoo park

The Jerusalem zoo map shows recommended tours of the Jerusalem Zoological Park. This zoo map of Jerusalem will allow you to easily find out where each animal is and where to picnic in the Zoological Park of Jerusalem in Israel. The Jerusalem zoo map is downloadable in PDF, printable and free.

A unique zoo, the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo on Jerusalem zoo map, is one of the most extraordinary attractions in the city. The animals in Jerusalem zoo are not in cages and suffer no ill-treatment. This Jerusalem zoo has been specially designed to make the stay as pleasant as the animals but also visitors who will not fail to spend a good day because the site is large and varied.

Very nice to do with children who will discover among others all the animals mentioned in the Bible in the zoo in Jerusalem on Jerusalem zoo map. The Jerusalem zoo includes a large lake and waterfalls arranged according to the course. Nearly 200 species of animals, some of which are threatened with extinction, benefit from the Jerusalem zoo's rescue program. The park has set up educational activities to raise awareness.

One of Israel's most popular attractions, the Jerusalem Bible Zoo on Jerusalem zoo map, is unlike any other. Jerusalem zoo is Spread over 25 hectares around a lake, the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo has two levels linked by waterfalls and basins. Surrounded by green hills, the zoo is dotted with large lawns with shaded rest areas.

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20 Top-Rated Things to Do in Jerusalem

Written by Jess Lee Updated Mar 24, 2023

The most contested city on Earth is also one of the most beautiful.

Jerusalem's scope of history is staggering, and the major role the city plays in the traditions of all three major monotheistic faiths has led to it being continually fought over, across the centuries.

This is the heart of the Holy Land , where the Jews raised the First Temple to keep the Ark of the Covenant safe, where Jesus was crucified and rose again, and where the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven to receive God's word.

For believers, a visit to Jerusalem is a pilgrimage to one of the most sacred sites in the world. The number of religious tourist attractions here can be baffling for first-time visitors, but luckily most of the top sightseeing landmarks and things to do are secreted within the lanes of the compact Old City district .

With so much to see and do, the best way to tackle a trip here is to decide on a few key points of interest and places to visit that are must-dos and break your sightseeing down into sections of the city.

Don't try to do too much and wear yourself out. It would take a lifetime to see everything that Jerusalem offers.

Help plan your city sightseeing with our list of the top tourist attractions and things to do in Jerusalem.

1. Haram Al-Sharif (Temple Mount)

2. western wall and jewish quarter, 3. church of the holy sepulchre, 4. armenian quarter, 5. follow the route of the via dolorosa, 6. explore the citadel (tower of david) and surrounds, 7. churches of the christian quarter, 8. muslim quarter, 9. mount of olives, 10. mount zion, 11. walk the old city walls, 12. east jerusalem, 13. west jerusalem central city sites, 14. israel museum, 15. kidron valley, 16. monastery of the cross, 17. yad vashem (hill of remembrance), 18. herzl museum, 19. take a day trip to ein kerem and abu ghosh, 20. visit latrun, map of things to do in jerusalem, jerusalem, israel - climate chart, history of jerusalem.

Follow in the footsteps of centuries of pilgrims, and enter one of the holiest sanctuaries on Earth .

Lauded by both Jews and Muslims, this is the site where Abraham (father of all three monotheistic faiths) is said to have offered his son up as a sacrifice to God, where Solomon built the First Temple for the Ark of the Covenant, and where the Prophet Muhammad is said to have ascended to heaven during his early years of preaching Islam.

Haram Al-Sharif is a place of deep significance (and contention over ownership) for those of faith.

The wide plaza, above the old city, is centered around the glittering Dome of the Rock , which is Jerusalem's most iconic landmark .

Beneath the golden dome is the sacred stone both Jews and Muslims believe to be where Abraham offered his son to God and where Muslims also believe the Prophet Muhammad began his journey to heaven.

The southern side of the plaza is home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque . First established in 705 CE, it's among the oldest mosques in the world .

Location: Entry from Western Wall Plaza, Old City

The Western Wall is the surviving retaining wall of Jerusalem's First Temple.

Sometimes also called the Wailing Wall due to the people's laments for the loss of the temple in 70 CE, it is now the holiest site in Judaism and has been a place of pilgrimage for the Jewish people since the Ottoman era.

The Jewish Quarter of the old city runs roughly from the Zion Gate east to the Western Wall Plaza . This part of the Old City was destroyed during the Israeli-Arab fighting in 1948 and has been extensively rebuilt since 1967.

A major highlight here for history fans is the Jerusalem Archaeological Park at the southern end of the Western Wall Plaza, where archaeologists have unearthed fascinating remnants of old Jerusalem.

The Western Wall Tunnels , which take you under the city, back to the level of the original city, are also not to be missed.

Jewish Quarter Street (Rehov HaYehudim) is the main lane of the district, and veering off this road onto the surrounding side streets are a cluster of interesting synagogues to visit.

For Christian pilgrims, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is Jerusalem's holiest site and is said to have been built on the site where Jesus was crucified.

The site for the church was picked by Saint Helena–mother to Constantine the Great–during her tour of the Holy Land. She was the one to announce to the Byzantine world that this spot was the Calvary (or Golgotha) of the gospels.

The original church (built in 335 CE) was destroyed by 1009, and the grand church you see now dates from the 11th century.

Although often heaving with pilgrims from across the world, the church interior is an opulently beautiful piece of religious architecture.

This is the ending point for the Via Dolorosa pilgrimage , and the last five Stations of the Cross are within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre itself.

The interior contains various holy relics, and the quarters inside the church are owned by different Christian denominations.

Location: Christian Quarter, Old City

Running south from the Citadel, Armenian Patriarchate Road is the main street of what is known as the Old City's Armenian Quarter.

Within the narrow lanes here are the Armenian Orthodox Cathedral of St. James and the Syriac Orthodox St. Mark's Chapel , which receive much fewer visitors than others in the Old City.

Armenians have been part of Jerusalem's community for centuries, first arriving in the city during the 5th century. Many more arrived during the Ottoman era and after the Armenian massacres in Turkey during the early 20th century.

Jerusalem's Armenian Quarter is the Old City's most tranquil corner to explore and a good place to wander if the press of pilgrims gets too much.

For many Christian visitors, the Via Dolorosa (Way of Sorrow) is the highlight of a visit to Jerusalem.

This walk follows the route of Jesus Christ after his condemnation as he bears his cross towards execution at Calvary.

The walk is easily followed independently, but if you're here on a Friday, you can join the procession along this route led by the Italian Franciscan monks.

The course of the Via Dolorosa is marked by the fourteen Stations of the Cross , some of which are based on the Gospels' accounts and some on tradition.

The walk begins on Via Dolorosa Street (1st station, east of the intersection with Al-Wad Street) from where you follow the street west. Then proceed south onto Al-Wad Street and west onto Via Dolorosa Street again, through eight stations until you reach the 9th station at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where the last five stations are.

The current route stretches for around 600 meters and has been the accepted trail since the 18th century, replacing earlier processional ways that Christian pilgrims to the city had used since around the 8th century.

Of particular interest along the way is the Chapel of the Flagellation (2nd station), built on the site where Jesus is believed to have been flogged.

Address: Via Dolorosa Street, Old City

The Citadel, popularly known as the Tower of David, actually has no connection with David, having been erected by King Herod to protect the palace he built in approximately 24 BCE.

His original citadel had three towers named after his brother Phasael, his wife Mariamne, and his friend Hippicus.

After Titus' conquest of the city in 70 CE, the Romans stationed a garrison here, but later the citadel fell into disrepair. It was successively rebuilt by the Crusaders, Egypt's Mamelukes, and the Ottomans, during their years of reign over Jerusalem.

The building you now see was built in the 14th century on the foundations of the original Phasael Tower.

Inside is the Tower of David Museum , which relays the story of Jerusalem . A permanent display of archaeological exhibits can be viewed, along with temporary exhibitions that explore facets of Jerusalem's culture and heritage.

If you climb up to the citadel's rooftop, you are rewarded with one of the best Old City vistas in town .

During the evening, there is a Sound and Light show here, with visuals projected onto the city walls, which is particularly good for traveling families who want to introduce their children to some of the city's history.

Location: Jaffa Gate, Old City

There are churches throughout Jerusalem's Old City, but the area, running north from Jaffa Gate and centered around the Church of the Holy Sepulchre , is known on most tourist maps of the Old City as the Christian Quarter.

Within this tangle of alleyways are some of the Old City's most popular tourist souvenir souks and a whole caboodle of churches that are well worth exploring.

Protestant Christ Church (Omar ibn al-Khattab Square) has a quirky museum with interesting document exhibits and a decent café to rest your weary old city-plodding feet.

The Ethiopian Monastery , squeezed into the corner of The Church of the Holy Sepulchre's courtyard, contains interesting frescoes portraying the Queen of Sheba's Jerusalem visit.

The Lutheran Church of the Redeemer (Muristan Road) is where you come to climb the bell tower for incredible Old City views. And the Church of St. John the Baptist (off Christian Quarter Street) is worthy of a visit as it is Jerusalem's oldest church .

The most bustling and alive district, with the best souk shopping in the Old City, is known on most tourist maps as the Muslim Quarter.

This district roughly runs from Damascus Gate through the northeast chunk of the Old City.

Plenty of fine surviving remnants of Mamluk architecture line the streets here, including the 14th-century Khan al-Sultan (Bab al-Silsila Street), where you can climb up to the roof for excellent views across the higgledy-piggledy lanes.

If you wander down Antonia Street , you'll come to the beautiful crusader-built St. Anne's Church (believed to be built on top of the site of the house of the Virgin Mary's parents) and the Pool of Bethesda next door.

Overloaded with churches and home to the oldest continually used cemetery in the world , the Mount of Olives holds particular interest to religious pilgrim travelers to Jerusalem, but even the non-devout can appreciate the spectacular Old City panoramas from the peak.

This sacred hill is believed to be the place where God will begin rising the dead on Judgement Day. For Christian believers, this is also where Jesus ascended to heaven after his crucifixion and subsequent resurrection.

The Church of the Ascension on the top of the mount dates from 1910 and has the best views across Jerusalem.

Walking down the slope, you come to the Church of the Pater Noster built next to the site where, according to tradition, Jesus instructed his disciples.

Farther down, the Church of Dominus Flevit is claimed to be built over the site where Jesus wept for Jerusalem, and farther along is the onion-domed Russian Church of Mary Magdalene .

The Gardens of Gethsemane (where Jesus was arrested) and the Church of All Nations are next, while the Tomb of the Virgin Mary is the last big attraction on the Mount of Olives.

Mount Zion (the small hill immediately south of the Old City's Zion Gate ) is home to Jewish and Muslim shrines as well as a number of churches.

Since the Byzantine Age, Mount Zion has been revered as the place where Christ celebrated the Last Supper and where the Virgin Mary spent the last years of her life, according to some Christian traditions (another tradition says her last days were spent in Ephesus in Turkey).

For Jews, Mount Zion's importance stems from this being the place of King David's Tomb . If you climb up the stairs from the tomb's courtyard, you'll come to the Last Supper Room , which has served as both church and mosque throughout its long history.

The Church of the Dormition nearby is where the Virgin is supposed to have died, while just to the east is the Church of St. Peter of Gallicantu where Peter is said to have denied Jesus.

The Old City fortifications date from the Ottoman period, and nine magnificent gates at junctions within the wall's length lead into the Old City.

The Damascus Gate is one of the most famous. Lion's Gate (sometimes called St. Stephen's Gate ) leads onto the Mount of Olives outside the city walls. Zion Gate is the main entry into the Jewish Quarter, while Jaffa Gate is the main passageway for the Christian Quarter.

Walking the wall ramparts is a wonderful way to experience the Old City. There are two sections that can be walked on: Jaffa Gate heading north to Lion's Gate or Jaffa Gate heading south to Dung Gate .

The entire old city is officially part of East Jerusalem (the Palestinian sector of Jerusalem that is occupied by Israel). The main entrance into the "newer" section of East Jerusalem, outside the old city walls, is through Damascus Gate .

Just to the east of the gate, within the gardens at the foot of the wall, is Solomon's Quarries , a cave system that extends under the Old City. According to ancient tradition, the stone for Jerusalem's First Temple was quarried from here.

The cave is also known as Zedekiah's Grotto as in Jewish tradition, Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, hid here from the Babylonian forces in 587 BCE.

Slightly east from here (along Sultan Suleiman Street) is the Rockefeller Archaeological Museum . Inside are exhibits from the Stone Age right up to the 18th century.

If you're short on time, some of the highlights of the collection are the skeleton unearthed on Mount Carmel, known as the Carmel Man, in the South Gallery, the 6th century BCE Lachish letters in the North Gallery, and the ornately carved beams from the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the South Room.

If you walk down Nablus Road, you'll come to the Garden Tomb , which dates from the Roman or Byzantine period. It was found and identified as Christ's tomb by General Gordon in 1882, and some Protestant Christians still believe that this is the true site that Christ was buried and rose again.

Heading north along Nablus Road is the French Dominican Monastery of St. Stephen where its namesake, the first Christian martyr, is believed to have been stoned to death.

Veer off onto St. George Street from here, and you'll come to the site of the Mandelbaum Gate . Between 1948 and 1967, it was the only crossing-point between the Israeli and Jordanian sectors of Jerusalem. The site is marked with a plaque.

Also on St. George Street, is the Museum on the Seam , a contemporary art museum that exhibits works dealing with social commentary on human rights and conflict.

From the Old City's Jaffa Gate , you enter West Jerusalem's modern central city district with Jaffa Road running northwest to Bar Kochba Square and Zion Square .

Northeast from Bar Kochba Square , you reach the Russian Compound , dominated by the green-domed Russian Orthodox Cathedral. This area grew up in the late 19th century as a large walled complex for Russian pilgrims.

On the northeast side of the complex were the Russian consulate and a hospice for women, and to the southwest were a hospital, the mission house, and a large hospice for men that lies beyond the cathedral. The buildings are now occupied by various government institutions.

North from here is Ethiopia Street where you'll find the Ethiopian Church . The reliefs of lions above the doorway recall the style of Lion of Judah borne by the Abyssinian dynasty, which traced its origins back to the Queen of Sheba.

Farther north from Ethiopia Street is the Mea Shearim district , home to a community of ultra-orthodox Jews. If you'd like to enter this area, be aware that modest dress (covering arms and legs) is mandatory, and taking photographs of inhabitants is not allowed.

The people of Mea Shearim still wear their old East European dress and speak mostly Yiddish. Some extreme groups refuse to recognize the state of Israel because it was not established by the Messiah and regard themselves as a ghetto of true orthodoxy within the Jewish state.

South from Jaffa Road is the Time Elevator (Hillel Street), a child-friendly introduction to Jerusalem's history, and the Museum of Italian Jewish Art & Synagogue with an extensive collection of Judaica.

Running west from Zion Square on Jaffa Road is the pedestrianized Ben Yehuda Street , Jerusalem's main vortex for dining and shopping.

Opened in 1965, this complex of museums is the only place in the country that collects and displays both archaeological finds and art.

The Shrine of the Book building displays Israel's portion of the Dead Sea Scrolls (the rest of the scrolls are displayed in Amman's Jordan Museum in Jordan), which were unearthed in the Dead Sea area during the 1940s.

In the main building of the complex, the Judaica wing has an impressive display of sacred Jewish art and ethnographic displays from Jewish life in various countries.

The archaeological wing contains fascinating exhibits from sites throughout the country ranging from the neolithic era through to the Ottoman era.

There are also adjacent galleries displaying art and artifacts from neighboring cultures that influenced the culture and history of this land. The galleries cover ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, ancient Greece, ancient Rome, and the Arabian Peninsula.

The museum's art wing has a good collection of works by Israeli painters as well as pieces by Gauguin, Renoir, Van Gogh, and a range of works by international artists. There's also a regular program of contemporary art exhibitions.

Location: Givat Ram district, West Jerusalem

Official site: https://www.imj.org.il/en

The Kidron Valley lies between the Mount of Olives and Mount Zion and is one of the oldest areas of Jerusalem .

Both Jews and Muslims believe that the Last Judgement will take place here, a rope will extend from the battlements of the Temple Mount , over the valley to the Mount of Olives , and the righteous will cross over, supported by their guardian angels, while the sinners will be cast down into damnation.

Archaeological excavations here have uncovered a settlement that dates back more than 4,000 years. The archaeological site is known as the City of David and archaeologists are still working here.

Area G is the oldest part of the site, dating from the 10th century BCE. From here, you can walk down into the tunnels known as Warren's Shaft and Hezekiah's Tunnel and proceed onto the Pool of Siloam and Shiloach Pool , which some people think may be the site where Jesus performed the miracle of healing a blind man.

According to legend, the massive fortress-like bulk of the medieval Monastery of the Cross is built on the site where the prophet Lot lived.

The trees he is said to have planted in the surrounding area are also believed to have provided the wood for Christ's cross. In Greek Orthodox tradition, a church was first founded here by the Empress Helena.

Georgian monks controlled the church until the 18th century, when it passed back into the hands of Jerusalem's Greek Orthodox community.

Until a few decades ago, the monastery lay well to the west of Jerusalem, but the city's creeping expansion has now surrounded it.

Location: Rehavia district, West Jerusalem

Israel's major Holocaust memorial is Yad Veshem.

In the main building, the Hall of Remembrance , the names of the Nazi death camps are set into the floor and an eternal flame burns in memory of the dead.

Opening off the main hall is a room containing victim's names, a photographic exhibition, the extremely moving children's memorial, and an art museum with work produced by inmates from the concentration camps.

The extensive surrounding grounds hold numerous works of sculpture and memorials.

Official site: www.yadvashem.org

Mount Herzl commemorates the founder of Zionism.

The remains of Theodor Herzl, who died in Austria in 1904, were brought to Israel in 1949, a year after the foundation of the independent Jewish state for which he advocated, and buried in a free-standing sarcophagus on the summit of this hill, which was then named after him.

Near the main entrance is the Herzl Museum with a reconstruction of Herzl's study and library.

The large park also contains the graves of Herzl's parents and several leading Zionists.

Ein Kerem Road in Jerusalem runs down into the Ein Kerem Valley where, according to Christian tradition, the village of Ein Kerem was the birthplace of St. John the Baptist.

The Franciscan Friary of St. John here was built in the 17th century over the Grotto of St. John (believed to be his birthplace).

In the center of the village is the Church of the Visitation with beautiful frescoes.

Farther west of the city is the village of Abu Ghosh. This Palestinian village is dominated by a crusader church that has belonged to the Lazarists since 1956. With its four-meter-thick walls, the three-aisled church is fortress-like and is full of crusader character.

Abu Ghosh is also home to the Church of Our Lady of the Ark of the Covenant , which is believed by some to stand on the site where the ark was kept before being transferred to Solomon's temple.

Latrun Monastery , about 28 kilometers west of Jerusalem, was built in 1927 by French Trappist Monks.

Until very recent times, Latrun was of strategic importance. During the British Mandate period, UK authorities had a fortified police post here and up until 1967, it stood on the armistice line between Jordan and Israel.

The monastery is part of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance who practice silence. The extensive grounds that surround the monastery building are beautifully laid out.

In the garden are a collection of late Classical and early Christian capitals and reliefs.

The first settlement in the Jerusalem area probably dates back to the 20th century BCE.

In 997 BCE, King David and the Israelites arrived, and his son (Solomon) constructed the first temple in 950 BCE.

In 587 BCE, the town was captured by Nebuchadnezzar and many of the inhabitants were carried off to Babylon. After the end of the Babylonian Captivity, in 520 BCE, the Second Temple was built.

In 332 BCE, Jerusalem came under Greek rule and was increasingly Hellenized. The desecration of the temple by Antiochus IV sparked off the Maccabean rising of 167 BCE.

Under the Maccabees and the Hasmoneans, the town expanded westward on to Mount Zion. In 63 BCE, it passed into Roman control, and in 37 BCE, Herod became king of the Jews.

He rebuilt and embellished the temple platform and equipped the city with palaces, a citadel, theater, hippodrome, an agora, and other buildings on the Hellenistic and Roman model. After his death in 4 BCE, Jerusalem became the city of the high priests under Roman procurators.

From 41 to 44 CE, it was ruled by Agrippa I, who extended the city northward, building the Third (North) Wall. In 70 CE, Jerusalem was destroyed by Titus, and then again by Emperor Hadrian, in 132 CE, who banned Jews from the city and renamed Jerusalem Aelia Capitolina.

Jerusalem became a Christian city in 326 CE, when the Emperor Constantine and his mother Helena built a number of churches. This era came to an end when Jerusalem was captured by the Persians in 614 CE.

It was recovered by the Byzantines in 627 CE, but in 638 CE it was conquered by the armies of Islam. Thereafter, the Umayyad Caliphs built the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

A further period of Christian rule began in 1099 CE with the conquest of the city by the Crusaders, who built many churches, palaces, and hospices. Islam returned to Jerusalem, however, when Saladin captured the city in 1187 CE, and it remained in Muslim hands under the Mamelukes (1291- 1517 CE) and the Ottomans (1519-1917 CE), who built the present town walls (1537 CE).

In the 19th century, the Christian powers of Europe, which had supported the Ottoman Sultan against the Egyptian ruler Ibrahim Pasha, gained increasing influence from 1840 CE onwards, and built churches, schools, hospitals, and orphanages. The Pope re-established the Latin Patriarchate, which had originally been founded in 1099 CE, but was dissolved in 1291 CE.

Jews had begun returning to live in Jerusalem in significant numbers since the 13th century. In 1267 CE, Rabbi Moshe Ben Nachman Ramban (Nachmanides) founded a synagogue. In 1488 CE, Jews from Egypt settled in Jerusalem, and they were followed by Sephardic Jews from Spain offered refuge from the Spanish Inquisition by the Ottoman Sultan.

In December 1917, British forces under General Allenby entered the city, and on July first 1920, it became the seat of the British High Commissioner in the mandated territory of Palestine.

The United Nations resolved, in 1947, that Palestine should be divided between the Palestinians and the Jews and that Jerusalem should be internationalized. After the end of the British Mandate in 1948, Israeli and Jordanian forces fought for control of the city, and it was partitioned under a cease-fire agreement in 1949.

In 1950, the Israelis made West Jerusalem capital of their state, and after the Six Day War of 1967 they annexed and occupied East Jerusalem including the old city.

More on Israel

Destroyed and rebuilt over thousands of years, Jerusalem's spiritual magnetism endures. With interlacing histories, clashing cultures and constant reinvention, the city is an intense, multisensory experience.

Attractions

Must-see attractions.

Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Four magnificent arches, their lintels richly decorated with Crusader crosses, herald the entrance to one of Christianity's most sacred sites. The church…

Temple Mount/Al Haram Ash Sharif

There are few patches of ground as holy – or as disputed – as this one. Known to Muslims as Al Haram Ash Sharif (The Noble Sanctuary) and to Jews as Har…

Western Wall

The air is electric at Judaism's holiest prayer site, where worshippers recite scriptures, lay their hands on 2000-year-old stone and utter impassioned…

Israel Museum

More than 5000 years of cultural treasures are assembled around the vast Israel Museum's indoor and outdoor galleries. Highlights are the titanic statues…

City of David

East Jerusalem

As teeming with controversy as it is with ancient history, the City of David is one of Jerusalem's most active archaeological sites. The oldest part of…

Israel's official memorial to the six million Jews who died at the hands of the Nazis is powerful, poignant and a masterpiece of design. The museum's name…

Dome of the Rock

The jewel in the crown of Temple Mount/Al Haram Ash Sharif is the gold-plated Dome of the Rock, the enduring symbol of the city and one of the most…

Mahane Yehuda Market

All of Jerusalem meets in Mahane Yehuda, from first-time visitors to residents filling their trolleys with fruit and veg. Market tables are laden with…

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Why Go To Jerusalem

Jerusalem is suspended between many different crosshairs. First and foremost, it serves as the Holy City for the three primary western religions: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The narrow streets and alleyways that make up the labyrinth-like Old City reverberate with the sounds of spirituality. Whispered Hebrew prayers uttered by tefillin -clad Jews at the Western Wall mingle with the hauntingly beautiful Muslim call-to-prayer sounding from Temple Mount . The voices from the Jewish and Muslim quarters are then accompanied by melodic bells sounding from the Christian Church of the Holy Sepulchre . For many visitors, the rumor of a constant Almighty presence suddenly becomes very real; even the most adamant non-believer will find it hard to deny that there's something ethereal about Jerusalem.

While the image of ancient Jerusalem—a city still ruled by King David and his followers—is what most travelers expect, you'll find instead a destination in flux. Beyond the historic walls of the Old City lies a buzzing metropolis where traditional lifestyles collide with cosmopolitan developments. West Jerusalem is littered with trendy restaurants and bars, while East Jerusalem resonates with the cries of market vendors. The city's diverse offerings have transformed Jerusalem from a pilgrimage spot to a well-rounded vacation destination. So whatever your reason for visiting, you can be sure that this is a city you’ll never forget.

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Best hotels in jerusalem.

• in American Colony Hotel The Leading Hotels of the World
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Best Things to Do in Jerusalem

• # 1 in Old City
• # 2 in Western Wall (Wailing Wall)
• # 3 in Israel Museum

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Jerusalem Travel Tips

Best months to visit.

The best times to visit Jerusalem are April through May and October through November, when the weather is mild and the crowds are thin. However, make sure to cross-check your travel dates with major Jewish celebrations such as the High Holy Days, Sukkot, and Passover. A strong surge of visitor traffic drives hotel prices up during these holidays. Summer is Jerusalem's peak tourism season, despite sweltering daytime temps. Winters boast good deals on hotels, but the weather remains fickle: One day can be sunny and fairly warm, while the next can be rainy and chilly.

Weather in Jerusalem

Data sourced from the National Climatic Data Center

What You Need to Know

• You're safe in tourist areas In Jerusalem, differing ideological views regularly spur heated religious and political debates, which have occasionally led to violent outbursts in the past. But aggressive instances are rare and do not take place in tourist areas.
• Be respectful This city is considered holy by Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike, meaning you should be considerate of traditions and conform to the more conservative dress code. Save your shorts and tank tops for Tel Aviv .
• Stock up for the weekend Many of Jerusalem's businesses and restaurants (Christian, Jewish, and Muslim) close for the Sabbath. Make sure to buy all food or other need-to-have items by Friday afternoon.

How to Save Money in Jerusalem

• Avoid major holidays Jerusalem's prices skyrocket during major Jewish festivals, especially Passover (March or April), Sukkot (September or October), and the High Holy Days ( fall). You'll find better deals if you avoid these holidays.
• Don't stay in West Jerusalem Hotels in West Jerusalem are more modern and more expensive. You'll find better rates within the Old City , but be prepared for possible nighttime curfews. East Jerusalem also has affordable lodging, but try to stay close to Damascus or Herod's Gate for convenience's sake.
• Rely on street eats Jerusalem has its fair share of swanky restaurants, but you can save some shekels by relying on food carts and markets for a good meal. Vendors throughout the city sell everything from bagels to falafel at a reasonable price, while the Mahane Yehuda market in West Jerusalem is a go-to spot for fresh produce.

Culture & Customs

Jerusalem acts as the Holy City by the three major Abrahamic religions: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. This mingling of spirituality has led to a mélange of culture. For example, you’ll hear a multi-lingual soundtrack on a stroll through the Old City ; Hebrew and Arabic are the dominant languages, but you'll also catch whispers of Yiddish and other languages. Many Israelis, especially those working in the food and hospitality industries, also speak English.

Many Jerusalem residents still fervently following guidelines listed in their bible. You will witness some of these customs during your visit. For example, Jews and Muslims do not eat pork; therefore, if you get a craving for ham and cheese, you'll be out of luck. Many restaurants throughout Jerusalem, particularly in Jewish neighborhoods, maintain a kosher menu, meaning they observe strict religious rules about food consumption and preparation. But chances are that you won't give this a second thought as you thumb through a menu. Also, many businesses (especially in the Old City) close during the weekend to honor the various sabbaths. Jewish establishments close their doors on Friday afternoon and don't open again until Saturday night or Sunday morning. Many Christian businesses are closed on Sundays. All of these businesses—no matter their affiliation—accept Shekels (ILS), Israel's official currency.

You'll also encounter a variety of clothing styles, from the heavy black attire and wide-brimmed hats worn of Haredi Jews to the lighter, more casual tunics sported of Arab merchants. Keep in mind you should dress more conservatively in Jerusalem. Avoid wearing anything too revealing, especially if you plan to visit the city's religious sites. Note that the ultra-Orthodox neighborhood of Me'a She'arim (just northwest of the Old City) requires extremely conservative attire, such as long sleeves, ankle-length skirts, and covered heads, as well as very modest behavior.

In the decades of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, contention over the city’s ownership has resulted in violent outbursts, most notably riots. That said, visitors should not feel threatened, as these incidents usually do not take place in tourist areas. You will likely come across a large number of Israeli soldiers, but don't let that alarm you: Many of these soldiers are tourists, just like you. You may also encounter armed guards performing security screenings at the Old City gates at night.

Getting Around Jerusalem

The best ways to get around Jerusalem are on foot or by taxi. Many of the city's top attractions are within walking distance of one another inside or just beyond the Old City walls. When you're looking to expand your stomping grounds, taxis are extremely convenient (albeit a little pricey). The transportation company, Egged, provides public bus service within the city and many points around the country. Egged also services Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV), about 38 miles northwest of Jerusalem on the outskirts of Tel Aviv . However, the bus system isn't intuitive for foreign visitors. Travelers usually will have better luck with the new light rail system, which opened in 2011.

Entry & Exit Requirements

The Israeli government does not require your passport to be valid for at least six months after your arrival, but many airlines do. You will also need to show a return or onward ticket and sufficient proof of funds to enter the country. Expect heightened security screenings at the airport; the Israeli government has been known to deny travelers entry based on background checks. The government will also deny entry to anyone looking to travel to the West Bank or Gaza. You can learn more by visiting the U.S. State Department website .

This stunning domed shrine resides on Temple Mount .

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Things To Do

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A visit in Israel

Jerusalem, tel-aviv, haifa and more, what to visit in the old city of jerusalem .

Hello , In this site, I will present to you Jerusalem’s main attractions and how to get there. There are 3 related pages :

• Page 1 – What to Visit in the Old City of Jerusalem
• Page 2 – What to Visit Around Jerusalem City Center
• Page 3 – What to Visit Outside the City Center

Let’s start :

Jerusalem Old City

How to get to the old city of jerusalem .

I know that you mainly want to visit the old city of Jerusalem, so look at the following orientation map (click to enlarge) :

The Central Bus + Train Station of Jerusalem is marked with a red star on the map. You will “land” in this station if you arrive to Jerusalem from the International Airport or from Tel-Aviv city or from any other Israeli city. The old city of Jerusalem is at a distance of 3 Km to the right.

The Gates to Jerusalem Old City

The Old City of Jerusalem is surrounded by a wall (rampart) and it has 8 Gates. The Golden gate in the Temple Mount area is blocked. Jaffa gate is the main gate, you will probably enter the old city through Jaffa gate if you arrive from the town center. Click on the map to enlarge :

In the following photo you see Damascus gate :

The Quarters inside Jerusalem Old City

There are four quarters inside Jerusalem old city :

• The Christian quarter
• The Muslim quarter
• The Jewish quarter
• The Armenian quarter

The Temple Mount area and the Western Wall are on the right. The distance from Jaffa gate to the Western Wall : less than 1 Km.

If you like lengthy explanations, read about the quarters of Jerusalem in Wikipedia .

Click on the map to enlarge :

 Walking in the Old City

There are, of course, a lot of churches, mosques and synagogues to visit in the old city, but the best tourist attraction is just to walk in the old narrow streets, enjoy the markets and to feel this unique place (and the political tension in the air and on the T-Shirts of the vendors).

The old city is an area of about 1 Km square, so it is quite convenient to explore by foot (and anyway, there are no roads inside). There is a Tourist Information Point,  just to the left, when you enter the Jaffa Gate.

Here in the Map, the main commercial streets (click to enlarge) :

 The Western Wall – Wailing Wall – the Kotel

What is it .

Part of a wall that was surrounding the Jewish temple some 2000 years ago.

Note : You are supposed to be dressed in a non provocative way in this place, otherwise you will be given funny things to wear on you. In fact, you are supposed to be dressed modestly in all the religious places in Jerusalem (and worldwide, I guess).

How to get there ?

When you enter Jaffa gate, walk straight through the narrow market. You will see signs for the Kotel along the way. Look at the following Map (Click to enlarge) or at the  Google Interactive Map above .

The Western Wall Tunnels

Excavations that reveal more of the Western Wall (500 meters wide instead of the exposed 60 meters, outside).

Visits can be done only with a guided tour that takes around 1 hour. The explanations are interesting. There is always a waiting list for these visits and you have to be lucky to enter the same day, so it’s better to reserve ahead with the Visitor Info number .

If you like lengthy explanations, read about the Western wall tunnels in Wikipedia.

The same as for the Kotel. Look at the following Map (Click to enlarge) or at the  Google Interactive Map above .

The Temple Mount – Dome of the Rock Mosque

An elevated area containing two famous mosques. The place is super, (I mean super) sacred for religious Muslims and Jews and unfortunately a place for many conflicts.

For religious Jews, the first and second temples were here till they were destroyed (600 years BC and 70 years AC). For religious Muslims, the Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosques are here, both built around 700 years AC. The Dome of the Rock is considered by Islam as the third most holy place after Mecca and Medina. For tourists, It is possible to access the Temple Mount area via a bridge from the Western Wall plaza. Muslims can access from other entries. If you like lengthy explanations, read about the Temple Mount in Wikipedia.

Church of the Holy Sepulchre

The most important church of Jerusalem old city.

It was built 300 years AC, on an area believed to be where Jesus was crucified. Very impressive inside.

If you like lengthy explanations, read about the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Wikipedia.

After you enter Jaffa gate, turn in one of the streets to the left. You will see signs. Look at the following Map (Click to enlarge) or at the  Google Interactive Map above .

• Via Dolorosa

A narrow street (in two parts), believed to be where Jesus walked, carrying his cross, on the way to his crucifixion.

Nice architecture and many churches along the way.

If you like lengthy explanations, read about Via Dolorosa in Wikipedia.

Look at the following Map (Click to enlarge) or at the  Google Interactive Map above .

The Jewish Quarter – the Cardo plaza

The Jewish quarter of the old city of Jerusalem with about 2000 people who are living in it.

Most of the buildings are quite new and it feels like a typical Jerusalem suburb but there are also some archeological sites and museums to visit and a view over the Western wall. The center of the quarter is the Cardo, an ancient Roman market with its typical columns. There are also the  four Sephardic and the Hurva Synagogues, with a lot of history.

If you like lengthy explanations, read about  the Jewish quarter in Wikipedia.

From the Western Wall plaza, you will see the Jewish quarter. Look at the following Map (Click to enlarge) or at the  Google Interactive Map above .

The Tower of David – The Citadel

An ancient fortress and now the main museum about Jerusalem’s history.

In the museum there are several rooms, each one contains explanations about a different period of Jerusalem. There are great panoramic views from the towers over the old city and the new city , this is alone a good reason to visit the place. The place is also an archaeological site.

There is also a model of Jerusalem from the 19 century

At night, on some dates, there are sound-and-light shows on the walls of this castle.

If you like lengthy explanations, read about The Tower of David in Wikipedia.

It is located near Jaffa gate.

The Ramparts Walk

There is a wall surrounding the old city of Jerusalem and It is possible to make a nice promenade on it. The entrance is from Jaffa gate. A small part of the wall is blocked ( in the Temple Mount area), so in order to make a round trip you’ll have to return to Jaffa gate.

Sweets – Oriental food inside the Old city

While touring the old city, you will see interesting food. Among them Falafels and Humus and “Oriental sweets”. Don’t miss the Kunafa in the Muslim quarter.

A little bit outside the Walls :

The dormition abbey and the last supper room.

A Church built on a site thought to be the place where Virgin Maria died.

The Church is mainly impressive from the outside. Nearby is also the Last Supper Room. 

If you like lengthy explanations, read about The Dormition Abbey in Wikipedia .

Nearby is also the Tomb of David , as believed by religious Jews. If you like lengthy explanations, read about The Tomb of David in Wikipedia .

Located outside the old city wall, near Zion gate.

Mount of Olives

A hill in front of the old city with important churches and view points over the old city.

On the mount :

• The Church of all Nations  (church of the Agony).  Believed to be the place where Jesus prayed before his arrest. A very nice facade. Gethsemane gardens.
• The Russian Orthodox Church of Maria Magdalene.
• A big Jewish cemetery
• More churches and excellent panoramic views over the old city

Tomb of Zechariah – Located down the hill

If you like lengthy explanations, read about the Mount of Olives in Wikipedia

Exit the old city via the Lions gate and begin to walk. (It could be tough to climb the hill, for some people) Look at the following Map (Click to enlarge) or at the  Google Interactive Map above .

City of David  (with Hezekiah’s Tunnel)

Important Excavations and a long tunnel with water to visit.

The excavation started in 1850 and are still going on. The findings are from 3000 years ago, the era of King David. In that era, the old city of Jerusalem was partly located in that place (the old city had a different shape).

Water supply to the city was an important issue and impressive subterranean aqueducts were engineered, fortified and defended from enemies.

There are several tunnels to visit on the site. The  main one is Hezekiah’s tunnel which is 500 meters long and has water running in it. It takes about 40 minutes to walk from end to end. It is very narrow.

The water depth is about 30 centimeters but at some points it reaches 70 centimeters so If you have kids, make sure they are taller than 70 centimeters… or take them in your arms at that points. Kids love that experience of walking in a tunnel with water.

If you don’t have kids, you are lucky, instead of the wet tunnel you can walk in a dry and illuminated tunnel, just 5 minutes walk. (Did I mention that you need a flashlight in the wet tunnel ?). If you choose the dry tunnel, you will get out early and you will need to walk a few minutes to the destination point, on your way you will have a great view over the Arab village Silwan.

The destination point is the Siloam pool. It may have looked like this in the past.

In order to return to the starting point, you may walk in another tunnel that was once an Herodian street.

If you like lengthy explanations, read about The City of David in Wikipedia  and visit the  City of David website .

Here look at this Map, you may better understand which tunnel goes where:

Located outside the Dung gate. Just get out of the old city through that gate and you will see signs to the City of David site.

If you need more Churches, Synagogues and Mosques inside the Old City of Jerusalem :

Till now I have stated only the highlights of the old city, but there is much more to see depending on your interests.  You can locate the following places on the  Google Interactive Map above .

• Anglican Hospice
• American Orthodox Monastery
• Austrian Hospice
• Cathedral of St James
• Christian Brother’s College
• Christ Church
• Church of Flagellation
• Church of the Holy Sepulcher
• Church of Our Lady of Spasm
• Church of the Redeemer
• Church of St Marks
• Condemnation Chapel
• Convent of the Sisters of Zion
• Coptic Patriarchate
• Tower of David
• The Dome of the Rock
• Ecce Homo Basilica
• El-Aqsa Mosque
• El-Omariye school
• Ethiopan Monastery
• Great Greek Monastery
• Great Catholic Patriarchate
• Great Orthodox Patriarchate
• Greek Praetorium
• Hasmonean Tunnel
• Hassidei Braslav Synagogue
• Hurva Synagogue
• Indian Hospice
• Kolel Shaarei Hesed
• Latin Patriarchate
• Mawlawiyeh Mosque
• Menachem Zion Synagogue
• Moslem Orphonage
• Moslem Supreme Council
• Omar Mosque
• Pool of Hezekiah
• Porat Yosef Synagogue
• Rabbi Meir Baal Haness
• Ramban Synagogue
• Robinson’s Arch
• Rothschild’s house
• St Anna Church
• St John Church
• St Julien Church
• St Savior Church
• St Veronica Church
• Temple Mount
• Terra Santa Girl’s Orphanage
• Tonshak’s Tomb
• Virgin Mary’s Birth Church
• Watson House
• Western Wall
• Western Wall Tunnel
• The four Yohanan Ben Zakkai Sepharadi Synagogues
• The Herodian quarter
• Karaite Jewish Heritage Center
• Jerusalem Archeological Park – Davidson Center
• The Generations Center
• Mount Moriah
• Zedekiah’s Cave
• The Roman Plaza
• Rockfeller Archaeological museum

More on Jerusalem  :

• Where to Stay in Jerusalem ? The potential areas
• What to Visit ? (the old city, town center…)
• Jerusalem Transport
• Frequently Asked Questions  (Weather, Cost, Size, Location, Safety…)

More on Israel  :

• Tel-Aviv : What to Visit ? (The beaches, Parks, Nightlife…)
• Haifa : What to Visit ? (Bahai gardens…)
• Israel : How to find a Travel (Health) Insurance for the trip
• What to Pack for your trip to Israel ?  (hidden pocket for the cash…)
• Vietnam : A guide – What to Visit, Transport, Where to Stay
• Bangkok : A guide – What to Visit, Transport, Where to Stay
• Barcelona : A guide – What to Visit, Transport, Where to Stay
• What to Pack ?  The visual list that will help you prepare the suitcase and not to forget things.

How to Spend Three Days in Jerusalem, Israel: The Ultimate Itinerary

Over the past few years, Jerusalem has been my home away from home. 

I came here four years ago for an internship at the Israel Museum in the collections database. From that moment onwards, I was smitten. 

In 2019, when I finished my degree in Montreal , I packed up my belongings and headed for the Holy City. There, I would be working on earning a masters in Jewish Studies at Hebrew University. Growing up as a conservative Jew in Richmond, Virginia , I would hear continually stories about the Jerusalem of Gold, the holiest city on earth, and the homeland of the Jewish people. 

I was determined to spend as much time there as possible.

Over the past two years, I’ve cultivated a deeper appreciation and understanding of a city I spent a good portion of my life building up in my mind. Let me tell you: the reality is so much more astounding then anything the human mind is capable of imagining.        

An Introduction to Jerusalem

The first time I laid eyes on Jerusalem, it reminded me of the White City of Gondar from Lord of the Rings. 

The entire city was built into the mountains, with every building made of the same white limestone; there were endless alleyways to explore. Jerusalem is an ancient city with a past that’s both unveiled and enigmatic. 

The earliest known signs of human settlement in the area date back for thousands of years and since then, nations and empires have called this little piece of the world their own, leaving traces of their time there. 

The large grand family mansions of the Talpiot and Baka neighbourhoods tell a story of Israel’s Palestinian history. Neighbourhoods with younger vibes have popped up in the last few years, like Rechavia and Nachlaot, whose inhabitants mainly include students and hippies.  

Despite being one of the smallest nations in the world, Israel’s population is one of the most diverse, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the Holy City. Jerusalem is a cornerstone of belief in all three branches of monotheism:  Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Divide all of these into their individual sects and orders and then multiply it by the number of nations around the world who practice any one of the variations. 

What you are left with is one of the most famous and popular cities in the world.  You’ll find nationalities from hemispheres you never expected. The medley of returning diaspora Jews from both East and West, Arab Muslims and Christians from across the Middle East, Palestinian families, Irish Catholics, Russians, a large Fillapino community, Francophones, Latinos; the list of variations is endless. Often times you’ll here at least four or five different languages on the street in a given day.  

Jerusalem is also recognized as an international food destination as well as an icon in the world of art and culture. Its culinary roots are a mix of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food styles with a few surprising twists. 

Start your morning with a Shakshuka breakfast, sample the coffee at Machne Yehuda market, then add a fresh slice of Knafe for a little something sweet. If you’re looking to have an amazing restaurant experience, right in the middle of Jerusalem is one of the best restaurants in the world, featuring the innovative and delicious creations of not one but two Michelin star Chefs.

Keep in mind that Jerusalem is a kosher city and is strictly Shabbat observant except in one or two select areas. Shops and public places of commerce start to close down Friday afternoon and open late Saturday night. For this reason I would highly advise planning your visit to Jerusalem from the middle of the week or earlier and leave just before Shabbat on Friday. The following itinerary adheres to this guideline.  

Start With a Visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Your journey begins on the Via Dolorosa. 

Follow the Stations of the Cross all the way to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. 

Originally built to recognize the tomb of Christ in 1009, this holy site has been destroyed and re-modelled many times over the centuries. 

The entire Church itself can be thought of as one giant reliquary, decorated in all the fineries of the world. The walls strewn with frescos and mosaics of scenes from the life of Christ composed in real gold and outlined with precious gems. 

The Stone of Unction or the Stone of Anointing, the slab where Jesus was placed after he was taken down from the cross lays right at the entrance to the Church. 

Many Christian pilgrims can be seen fervently kissing and prayer over the stone. In the main chapel space is the tomb, covered by a large finely crafted mausoleum. 

The line to enter the tomb rivals Disneyland so it is best to show up as early as possible so that you can enjoy your visit, hence why it is the first stop on the itinerary.

Lunch at the Austrian Hospice

Just a six-minute walk from the church is where you’ll venture for lunch. And not just any lunch, but a schnitzel, roasted potatoes, and apple strudel lunch at Café Triest in the Austrian Hospice. 

Built in 1854, this hospice is the oldest operating Christian pilgrimage house in Jerusalem, with intricate mosaic tile flooring, high vaulted painted ceilings, and finely polished wooden furniture. 

Enjoy your lunch in the Viennese-style Kaiserstuberl, and have an after-lunch espresso in the hospice gardens, the largest freely accessible green space in the Old City. 

This is a not-to-miss spot for some incredible photos overlooking the city

Head to Temple Mount and the Wailing Wall

The Temple Mount is thought to be the navel of the world, the starting point of all creation and God’s contact point with humanity. 

The site was originally the ground on which Solomon’s Temple stood and was destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BCE. After that, the Temple was rebuilt by King Herod but again destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE. The outer western retaining wall of Herod’s Temple is now Judaism’s holiest site, the Wailing Wall, or the Kotel in Hebrew. 

Before you approach the wall it is required that you ritually wash yourself and once you have finished praying back away from the Wall without turning your back. This is a sign of respect. You can even take a tour underneath the wall to see the huge boulders that comprise its base.  In the late 7 th century during Islamic rule was the Dome of the Rock constructed with the addition of the Al-Aqsa Mosque completed in 705 A.D. 

There are certain hours that visitors have access to the Temple Mount, and non-Muslims are not allowed into the Dome of the Rock. You are also not allowed to bring in any religious object such as a cross or prayer book. 

Come prepared with your passport in hand and check the security situation before your visit. In fact, I would highly recommend booking a tour guide for both of these major sites. Not only do the Temple Mount and Kotel both have packed histories, but it is also a place with an extraordinary amount of rules and regulations. 

It takes a professional’s touch to really immerse one fully and respectfully in the experience.

The City of David

Just down the hill from the Western Wall in the town of Silwan lies the City of David Archaeological Park. 

The narrative that the City of David tells is one of triumph and conquest in the classic layered form of Jerusalem history. What you can see on the surface many scholars believe was the biblical city of David and his son Solomon, but this is just a small portion of what the City of David holds. 

Under the ground, there are several large structures all dating from various periods in Jerusalem’s history. Lying just along the Siloam valley is Hezekiah’s Tunnel, a 533-meter long hand carved water tunnel built during a time of war with Assyrian armies to transport water into the city. 

You can take a tour of this tunnel and trust me it is not for the faint of heart nor the claustrophobic. Most of the time you are in knee-deep water whilst crouching. However it is absolutely astounding to be in a tunnel that was built blindly from one end to the other by human hands. 

You can also visit the giant fortification system and water tower remains dating from the Middle Bronze Age Canaanite settlement. Did I happen to mention that this giant water tower is also located underneath the City of David? 

Dinner at Ishtabach 

After your day of running around and climbing Jerusalem’s hills I recommend taking your evening easy and head to Machne Yehuda to feast at any one the numerous restaurants located on the outskirts of the market. 

On the top of the list should be checking out Ishtabach on Beit Ya’akov Street for some shamburak. This savory Kurdish-Syrian pastry comes with your choice of meat or vegan filling including: siske (long roasted ribs), brisket, asado, chorizo, chicken, cheek meat, tongue, and finally sweet potato and black bean. 

It’s a great place to split a couple options amongst your table. Order the potato wedges served with lemon garlic tahini on the side, or their shuk salad. You will not be disappointed.  

Art and Eggs at Hansen House

Wake up and head to Café Ofaimme at the Hansen House and Cultural Arts Centre. 

What is now one of Jerusalem premier centres for art, music, and food was originally a leprosy hospital opened in 1887 and operable until 2000. The architecture and layout of the compound has since increased with the addition of galleries, bars, cafes, restaurants, and a beautiful garden. 

Spend your morning enjoying breakfast at Café Ofaimme and then peruse the gallery spaces that feature installation, media, as well as technological art. The café serves local egg dishes, pastries, sandwich options, lighter meals, tea infusions, coffee, and granola to name a few of the options.  

The Museum of Islamic Art

From breakfast, your next destination is down Dubnov Street to the Museum of Islamic Art. 

Since 1974, this museum has been dedicated to collecting the cultural and archaeological artefacts of Islamic culture from the 7 th to the 19 th centuries from across the Arab world. Their permanent collection consists of fine textiles, documents, metal, glass, and luxury items such as rugs, fine coffee and tea sets, all of which reflect the grand and esteemed history of Islamic culture. 

The current exhibition is called Al-Andalus: In the Far West and focuses on Andalusian Spanish Islamic art from the Middle Ages. Past exhibitions have dealt with contemporary graphic art, ancient embroidery styles, Druze and Bedouin photo journals and more. 

This museum is a crucial piece of your Israeli art and culture adventure.  

The Israel Museum/Shrine of the Book

The last museum stop on your agenda for today is The Israel Museum and the Shrine of the Book. 

This institution is one of the world’s most renowned centres of art housing a diverse collection of objects from across the globe. Visit the Rockefeller Archaeology wing and view the world’s oldest burial, dating back 100,000 years, and a rather large pair of prehistoric bulls horns.

Other permanent exhibitions include Birth, Life, and Death in Judaism, a miniature model of Second Temple Jerusalem, and the Shrine of the Book Complex. 

The entire complex houses the oldest known copy of the Bible, dating sometime in between the 3 rd and 1 st centuries. Most scholars believe these texts to be the ancient library of a sect of ultra pious Jews living in Qumran during the Jewish Revolt against Rome. The scrolls tell the story of Second Temple Jewish life and provide us with a historical window into the potential inspiration behind some of Christianity’s early ideas about the messianic apocalypse. 

Dinner at Machneyuda Restaurant 

When you’re buying your tickets to Israel, don’t forget to call and make a reservation at Machneyuda Restaurant. 

Started by two of Israel’s most internationally revered culinary masters, Chef Assaf Granit and Chef Uri Navon, there is typically a two-month waiting list for this food. However, this is a not to miss staple dining location that creates dishes only using local produce from the Shuk and a selection of the finest wine the city has to offer. 

On top of the food, you simply cannot beat the joyous environment. Later into the night, the restaurant morphs into one large party with people drinking with strangers and staff well after the kitchen has closed.

Jazz at Birman

If you’re still standing at this point, continue your evening with some live music at Birman Bar and Jazz café. 

This is a not-to-miss local joint right off Ben Yehuda Street on Dorot Rishonim. Often, you can find the best Jazz musicians in Israel, both undiscovered and professional, jamming with one another into the night.

Usually there are no less than five musical instruments composing an ensemble with rotations happening about every hour between the musicians so the flow of music never stops. 

This is one of those neighbourhood spots where you’ll make friends with strangers and if you can tickle the ivories or pump an accordion, feel free to approach the musicians and ask to jump in on the action.    

Friday morning at Shuk Machne Yehuda

For your last day in Jerusalem take it easy and recuperate from the previous night of mass consumption of food and beverage. 

Shuk Machne Yehuda’s most vibrant time is on Friday morning with people buying their groceries and Challah loaves for Shabbat dinner, shopping for gifts, or just visiting with friends sipping coffee at Roasters Café. 

Head to the market early for some of the tastiest local breakfast and coffee options and don’t forget to buy some flaky phyllo bourekas to snack on later for the ride back to Tel Aviv. Or some Halva: a delicious dessert made from sesame seed paste and mixed with a variety of ingredients like pistachios and chocolate.  

Shopping on Jaffa

Spend the remainder of your available afternoon getting in some shopping in the City Centre. 

Machne Yehuda empties right out onto Jaffa Street, which offers up an endless variety of local clothing boutiques, antique, fabric, and rug stores, and the all too important hookah shops. 

Also, don’t neglect the side streets just off Jaffa and in the surrounding area like Yoel Moshe Solomon, Hillel, and Queen Shlomziyon Streets. This is where you can find some of the best thrift boutiques in Jerusalem. 

If you have a taste for high end and name brand fashion then make your way to the end of Jaffa to Mamilla, an open-air upscale mall right beside the Old City. 

If you have never heard of Ahava Dead Sea Skin products you should definitely visit the store in Mamilla and pick up some of this amazing Israeli skin care made from the nutrient rich waters of the Dead Sea.  

Catch a Sherut back to Tel Aviv

By this time you should be returning to your hotel or Airbnb to pack up and head back to Tel Aviv ending your trip in the Holy City. 

The last bus back to Tel Aviv is usually around 16:00 from the Central Bus Station but there are also shared taxis called Sheruts which run all through Shabbat making it an easy way to travel back and forth between cities. 

The pick up spot for Sheruts in Jerusalem is near Zion Square at the corner of HaNevi’im and Monbaz. Bring cash!

There is no place on earth like Jerusalem.  The city and its inhabitants have changed and evolved over the years astounding the world with its history and culture. Say the name Jerusalem anywhere and you’d by hard pressed to find a person that doesn’t know it in some capacity. One could spend a lifetime here and still be surprised.  Consider this guide a scratch on the surface to one of the most complex, beautiful, and engaging cities in history.   

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Lauren Juliff

Lauren Juliff is a published author and travel expert who founded Never Ending Footsteps in 2011. She has spent over 12 years travelling the world, sharing in-depth advice from more than 100 countries across six continents. Lauren's travel advice has been featured in publications like the BBC, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Cosmopolitan, and her work is read by 200,000 readers each month. Her travel memoir can be found in bookstores across the planet.

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Jerusalem Tourist Map

In the world tourism it is for some to specify those cities where the tourism besides unforgettable one obtains an experience without equal. Most globetrotters and select travelers reaffirm Jerusalem as one of those cities that offer the most pleasant experience of their lives. A city’s heritage is defined by its history, culture and the changes it has undergone over time, and Jerusalem is a sobering example. It is the cradle of humanity, of Christianity, of the convergence of main beliefs and historical milestones that drastically defines our conception of society as we conceive it today. In short, the source of everything is among the most desirable destinations in the world and this tourist map of Jerusalem is dedicated to revealing everything you need to know before traveling and convincing you to point this city on your map.

• 1 Jerusalem Tourist Map
• 2 Jerusalem Tourist Guide
• 3 What to see in Jerusalem
• 4 Map of Hotels in Jerusalem

The age of this city is approximately 4 millennia and already in the Bible appears as a review of important city, full of wealth, religious worship and Mecca of Jewish society. This city, one of the oldest known still persists in name and is the current capital of Israel. Christianity, Islam and Judaism coexist in harmony and deep roots in this city. Its history spans from ancient tribal settlements dating back to the Bronze Age, and since then it has been contested land by many empires throughout history. It is a very extensive history that awaits to be told in all its archaeological sites and interpretation, this is usually one of the reasons why the tourist likes to come, because it represents the root of everything. It is the most populated city, with almost a million people in just 125 square kilometers.

The Old City awaits us in routes loaded with history and much to see, the visitors with experience never stop recommending this zone to who decides to visit Jerusalem for the first time. However, the city has had a sustained rate of growth just like the other cities in the state of Israel. Museums, promenades, restaurants, theatres, shops and the hotel industry have made space in this city that has been losing the conception of a conflictive city. This allows the visitor to experience a subtle contrast between the historical and the modern, a point of connection that destroys the concept of a boring museum city. We should not let mention that its monuments are the main dish of every tour, either the Wall of Lamentations, The Dome of the Rock, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre or the Holocaust Museum must be included.

Jerusalem Tourist Guide

This city has been breaking with that matrix of conflictive city opinion, is super safe and any kind of person has ine this city something that will be good to experience. The history is breathed in the walking and the options of entertainments are intertwined with it. Come and experience millennia engraved in a lot of places, the city teaches you to appreciate its spirit and temperance through its wonderful views, as well as the traditional and modern of its gastronomy, art and culture in general. It is important that you take the right steps to bring a little of everything that the city shows. This Jerusalem tourist guide precisely prepares the traveler to choose the right routes between the most outstanding places to visit. Don’t forget to consult our map of hotels in which we will give you a hand with the ideal place to take a deserved rest.

Route tourist sites of Jerusalem

(Click on the places for more information and route)

What to see in Jerusalem

Wall of lamentations.

For the Jews this is a sacred place and very important for the practice of their faith. It is part of the religious monuments of the Old City mixed in the Arab area. Its construction of the time of King Herod and stands on the ruins of the Temple of King Solomon. In a nutshell it is a part that remained untouched after Roman legions of the Emperor Vespesiano destroyed the temple. The reason for existence is precisely a clear message from these legions about the overwhelming victory of the vast empire over Judea. For the Jews, however, it has a different meaning; it tells of God’s promise of an alliance with them. In this way it has become a relevant center of worship for practitioners of Judaism to this day. Spirituality and God-consciousness are elevated by visiting these historic walls.

Church of the Holy Sepulchre

It is the most important and sacred place for believers in the Christian faith. The church of the Holy Sepulchre rises above what was the place of the crucifixion. From that historical milestone the faithful point to the place as the epicenter of Christianity. While current science is debated to reinforce these biblical conceptions of the death of Jesus Christ, the church has served to explain the resurrection as the dogma of the Christian religion. Despite its size, its area encompasses Mount Calvary. It is presumed to be the place where the Messiah’s cross was nailed. Although the emperor Hadrian interrupted the commemorative rites in this place, later when the empire returns to Christianity begins to speak of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre following reforms that returned to the city this ritual practice so important for believers.

Temple Mount

This place has been the object of controversy but above all a meeting point between two important religions such as Judaism and Islam. It is part of the old city and within it is the Wall of Lamentations, the refuge of prayers for the Jews. For various reasons the Jews are forbidden to pray inside the enclosure that denotes the Dome of the Rock. For Muslims, this temple or mosque esplanade represents the third most important religious monument in the world. According to Jewish tradition, this site represents the most relevant symbol of their faith, known as the Ark of the Covenant. It is explained that in this place is the stone where Abraham sacrifices sacrificed Isaac, and later King Solomon ordered the construction of a temple. A very interesting place.

Mount of Olives

It is an important pilgrimage site and considered the most important for Jews and Christians.  For the Christian faith was the place where Jesus Christ had activity during his life and the stories that the Bible tells about his life passion and death. At least that is what Christian temples give to this place. According to Judaism this place is marked with the coming of the Messiah, as it represents the concept of resurrection. There are several sites that make up the routes, among them are the Grotto of Gethsemane. This site at the foot of the mountain is believed to have been the site where Judas betrayed Jesus. Another site you can visit is the Sepulchre of Mary, the Church of All Nations, the Jewish Cemetery, the Chapel of the Ascension, the Shrine of Eleona and the Church of Mary Magdalene.

Of the hills that make up the city of Jerusalem this is the highest. It is an important place where pilgrims appreciate its history and incidence in the ancient biblical event; a place for worship and liberation of the spirit. According to the story King David after the capture of the city builds a huge palace at the top of it where it is known as the Tabernacle. The work was succeeded by King Solomon and he attributed this name to the top of the hill. The places that mark an interesting tour is composed of the vestiges of the ancient city of King David, and the Gate of Zion. Also the Tomb of King David is in this place at the foot of the Byzantine Church Hagia Zion. The Dormition Abbey can be added to the tour.

Calvary Church

This important point for the Christian and Jewish tradition is the object of different theories taken from their scriptures. Famous for being a favorite place for pilgrimage during the Easter period, when the death of Christ is commemorated. This hill always appears among the most important sites for visitors at any time of the year. Also known as Golgotha, it has had the reason of being place that shelters the skull of Adam. Under the legacy of Noah to his descendants it was deposited in this site, although it is speculated that the issue of the skull is due to the shape of the rocks of the mount. A basilica protects this site and within it there are tours. You will see the rock of Golgotha and the tomb where the body of Jesus Christ rested after being crucified.

Tower of David

Israel concentrates part of its history from the sacred texts; perhaps the most important didactic reference is its buildings and vestiges of ancient urbanisms. Today there are several that still remain and among them we highlight the Tower of David. King David was the most important regent of the history and glory of the Israeli people. There is nothing better than this tower that serves as a museum to tell all the history and culture of this ancient city. To understand everything has been organized into chronological and visual exhibitions. The main jewel is the very construction in which its details speak for themselves about history. In addition, the height of its towers gives us impressive views of the city, especially the sunsets. Also at night this tower is decorated with majestic plays of light and is complemented with temporary exhibitions.

Holocaust Museum

The Yad Vashem institution has focused efforts for more than a decade on this museum. It is a tribute to the Jewish society victim of the persecution and holocaust by the Nazis in the Second World War. Through an area of more than 4,000 meters of surface, everyday elements are scattered, as well as photographs and testimonies. The before, during and after the Holocaust tell of the Jewish persecution in the best way. All the content composes a perfectly condensed information, giving the visitor enough information to understand that dark stage of history. The exhibitions summarized in images and stories show in a crude way a reality that leads to a deep impression on the visitor. Looking closely at the faces, names and evidence of atrocities will make us reflect as a society.

Mahane Yehuda Market

The Mahane Yehuda market is a peculiar place where several ethnic groups coexist in healthy commercial and social harmony. This test of cultural mix is often a tourist option that is growing. It gives the impression of walking between corridors and old Arab premises. The smells of spices and other products typical of each culture are to order. Ethiopians, Arabs, Jews, Yemenis and Armenians predominate and the noise of the market is defined by the language mix of each. Faced with so much activity you can indulge yourself with juices and teas that help combat the heat. This place reminds the visitor that we are all welcome in Israel.

Map of Hotels in Jerusalem

Finding accommodation is a scheduled task. Depending on the season to visit it is necessary to make reservations, and in spite of not being so economic the mobilization by public transport. Even compensating the tourist routes between cities could compensate the investment. Because of course the holy land deserves more than one day to see enough. Our map of hotels in Jerusalem shows different places in this small but rich locality. We help you by showing you the best reviews in an interactive way. The Eyal Hotel is a relatively affordable option in price, and quality. It is denoted by the style and elegance of its dormitories, apart from its excellent services included. It has a terrace and serves free breakfast. It is located just a few metres from a tram stop.

Video of the most impressive tourist places in Jerusalem

Hamas says it agreed to a cease-fire proposal; Israel strikes Rafah and says deal ‘far from’ meeting its demands

Coverage on this live blog has ended. Follow live updates here.

What to know

• Hamas said in a statement that it has agreed to a cease-fire proposal, but Israel said that the deal was "far from" its requirements and that it would push ahead with a Rafah operation and send a delegation to talks.
• The White House said it was reviewing the Hamas statement, which follows days of talks brokered by the U.S., Qatar and Egypt for a deal that would secure the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
• The Israeli military said it was striking Hamas targets in Rafah, hours after it urged 100,000 people to leave the city and move to what it said is an expanded humanitarian area in the Palestinian enclave.
• The evacuation of eastern Rafah, which Israel says is "limited" and "temporary," comes ahead of an expected ground assault on the southern Gaza city , where more than 1.4 million civilians are sheltering.

Biden meets with Jordan’s King Abdullah II, discusses need for ‘sustainable’ cease-fire

Phil Helsel

President Joe Biden met with Jordan’s King Abdullah II today as the two leaders “discussed the latest developments in Gaza and affirmed their commitment to work together towards an enduring end to the crisis,” the White House said.

The king was in Washington, D.C., and met with Biden at the White House. The pair stressed the need for an immediate release of hostages held by Hamas, as well as "a sustainable ceasefire that allows for a surge of the urgently needed humanitarian assistance to be delivered safely through Gaza,” the White House said in a statement.

“Both remain committed to achieving a durable, lasting peace to include a pathway to a Palestinian state, with security guarantees for Israel,” it said.

U.N. human rights chief calls evacuation order in Rafah 'inhumane'

The United Nations human rights chief today called Israel’s call for around 100,000 people to evacuate from Rafah inhumane and destined to cause even more suffering.

“This is inhumane. It runs contrary to the basic principles of international humanitarian and human rights laws, which have the effective protection of civilians as their overriding concern,” U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said in a statement .

“Forcibly relocating hundreds of thousands from Rafah to areas which have already been flattened and where there is little shelter and virtually no access to humanitarian assistance necessary for their survival is inconceivable. It will only expose them to more danger and misery,” he said.

Israel warned 100,000 people in Rafah in southern Gaza to leave as it continues military operations in its war against Hamas, which has displaced Gaza’s population and, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, resulted in more than 30,000 deaths.

A main military offensive has not begun, but Israel's military said Monday local time that it was "conducting targeted strikes against Hamas terror targets in eastern Rafah in southern Gaza."

Israel's military told people in Rafah to move to what it said is an expanded humanitarian area.

Protesters say they’ve occupied building at Rhode Island School of Design

A group opposed to the war in Gaza said tonight that they have “occupied” a building at the Rhode Island School of Design and barricaded the second floor.

RISD Students for Justice in Palestine said 24 students and community members began sitting in the Providence Washington building at the school in Providence and then barricaded the second floor.

As in demonstrations at Columbia University in New York City, they renamed the building.

They are demanding “total fiscal transparency of RISD’s investment portfolio” and divestment, as well as that school President Crystal Williams “publicly condemns the Israeli Occupation of Gaza as a genocide.”

RISD said that a group of students was protesting in one of its buildings and that Williams and the provost were meeting with them.

“We have and continue to affirm our students’ right to freedom of expression, freedom of speech, and peaceful assembly. RISD condemns violence and injustice, and we decry antisemitism, Islamophobia and all forms of hate,” the school said in a statement tonight. “The wellbeing of all of our students has been and remains our top priority, and we continue to support all members of our community.”

Williams has said that the school has previously adopted an "environmental, social, and governance” policy for investments and that "our investment portfolio is overwhelmingly aligned with our stated values and the concerns shared with us by RSJP," the protest group.

"RISD is simply in a very different investment position than many other institutions nationwide where students are protesting," Williams said.

The school has an enrollment of around 2,500.

France and China presidents say ‘lasting cease-fire' needed to protect Gazans

French President Emmanuel Macron and Chinese President Xi Jinping today called for all sides to protect civilians and opposed Israel’s military operation in Rafah.

“The two heads of state marked their opposition to an Israeli offensive on Rafah, which would lead to a humanitarian catastrophe on a new scale, as well as to any forced displacement of Palestinian civilians,” the two leaders said in a statement put out by France’s government.

“The two heads of state stressed that an immediate and lasting cease-fire is urgently needed to allow the large-scale delivery of humanitarian aid and the protection of civilians in the Gaza Strip,” they said in the statement.

Both also called for the “immediate and unconditional release” of hostages.

Remembrance events were held around the world in honor of the 6 million Jews who were murdered in the Holocaust. Survivor Susan Kalev shares her family’s story and why she believes the message to never forget is more important than ever.

Qatari delegation to resume indirect negotiations in Cairo

A Qatari delegation will head to Cairo tomorrow to resume indirect talks between Hamas and Israel in the hope of bringing about a cease-fire in Gaza, Qatar’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said.

The ministry in a statement said that its spokesperson Majed bin Mohammed al-Ansari made the announcement to the Qatar News Agency.

He expressed “the State of Qatar’s hope that the talks will culminate in reaching an agreement for an immediate and permanent cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, and the exchange of prisoners and detainees, and the sustainable flow of humanitarian aid into all areas of the Strip.”

Strikes in Rafah do not appear to be the major military action in region, U.S. official says

The White House is monitoring the reports of tonight’s strikes in Rafah, according to a U.S. official.

The official says that this does not appear to be the major military operation into densely populated areas that the administration was worried about.

So far, it appears to be a targeted tactical operation, this official said. But the White House is watching how it plays out.

Rapper Macklemore announces single "Hind's Hall" to raise funds for UNRWA

Doha Madani

Rapper Macklemore announced a single called "Hind's Hall," a reference to Columbia University's protest, that will raise money for the United Nations' agency for Palestinian refugees.

This appears to be the first song released by a famous American musician to denounce the siege on Gaza, though other artists have released songs about the war. A snippet released to Instagram today praises the pro-Palestinian protesters on campuses across the country and called for a cease-fire, as well as Palestinian liberation.

At one point, Macklemore denounces the conflation of anti-Zionism with antisemitism, rapping that he sees Jews at protests screaming, “Free Palestine."

"What if you were in Gaza? What if those were your kids?" he raps. "If the West was pretending that you didn't exist you want the world to stand up and the students finally did."

He accused President Joe Biden of having blood on his hands, saying, "we can see it all and f---- no, I'm not voting for you in the fall."

Gantz says no stone will go unturned in effort to bring hostages home

Yarden Segev

Israeli Minister Benny Gantz vowed that the country's leaders will continue to work to bring the remaining hostages in Gaza home as the country exerts military pressure on Rafah and Hamas says it is on board with a deal framework.

Gantz released a statement through his Telegram page, saying the negotiating team is reviewing Hamas' response to a framework deal to release captives, though he accused the group of not corresponding to "the dialogue that has taken place so far with the mediators."

"Despite this, we continue to turn over every stone and a delegation will go to Cairo," Gantz said. "Every decision will be brought to the War Cabinet — there will be no political consideration."

He went on to describe Rafah military operations as "an integral part" of the country's efforts to bring the hostages home.

U.N. chief calls on Israel and Hamas to go the 'extra mile'

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is urging both Israeli and Hamas leadership to "go the extra mile needed to make an agreement come true and stop the present suffering."

Guterres' office released a statement today noting that he is deeply concerned about a possible large-scale operation in Rafah and urged the parties to act to protect civilian life.

"We are already seeing movements of people — many of these people are in desperate humanitarian condition and have been repeatedly displaced," the statement said. "They search safety that has been so many times denied."

The U.N. chief also posted to X, saying the protection of civilians is "paramount" to international law.

Pulitzer Board gives special citation to journalists covering the war in Gaza

The Pulitzer Board, which honors special achievements in journalism and the arts, awarded a special citation honoring journalist and media workers covering Gaza.

"Under horrific conditions, an extraordinary number of journalists have died in the effort to tell the stories of Palestinians and others in Gaza," the board said in a statement.

The board went on to acknowledge the loss of not just journalists but also poets and writers who became casualties of war.

"As the Pulitzer Prizes honor categories of journalism, arts, and letters, we mark the loss of invaluable records of the human experience," the board said.

U.S. does not support Rafah offensive as 'currently envisioned' by Israel, State Department says

Abigail Williams

The U.S. cannot support an intensified military operation in Rafah, as it is "currently envisioned by Israel," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters today.

"We have made clear, the secretary has made this clear in his conversations with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other members of the Israeli government last week, that we have not seen a humanitarian plan that is credible and implementable," Miller said.

Miller added that the U.S. believes a military operation in Rafah would put the lives of more than 1 million Palestinian civilians at risk. He also spoke briefly about the news that Hamas has agreed to a potential hostage release deal, saying they have only recently received Hamas' response for review.

"We continue to believe that a hostage deal is in the best interests of the Israeli people," Miller said. "It’s in the best interest of the Palestinian people and it would bring increased movement of humanitarian assistance and so we’re going to continue to work to try to reach one."

IDF conducting strikes in east Rafah after PM's office vowed to continue with operation

The Israel Defense Forces were conducting strikes on "Hamas terror targets in eastern Rafah," it said in a statement posted to X a little while ago.

No additional details were available. The statement came shortly after Netanyahu's office vowed to continue with the Rafah operation following Hamas' announcement that it had accepted a cease-fire proposal.

Earlier today, IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari told civilians to stay in the designated humanitarian zones for the rest of the night. He also told those in eastern Rafah to move either to Al-Mawasi or Khan Younis.

"There they will receive a full humanitarian response, where water, food, medical equipment and shelter will be provided," Hagari said.

Israel says it will send a delegation to work on cease-fire proposal but continue with Rafah operation

Raf Sanchez

TEL AVIV — Israel's War Cabinet has "unanimously decided" to continue operations in Rafah to exert military pressure on Hamas while sending a delegation to work on a cease-fire deal, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said.

"Although the Hamas proposal is far from Israel's necessary requirements, Israel will send a delegation of working-class mediators to exhaust the possibility of reaching an agreement under conditions acceptable to Israel," Netanyahu's office said in a statement.

Hamas agreed to its interpretation of a deal endorsed by the U.S. and is trying to pressure Israel, source says

Richard Engel NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent, Host of MSNBC's "On Assignment with Richard Engel"

JERUSALEM — Egyptian, Qatari and Hamas officials have been working intensively over the past week based on a deal Israel proposed which was endorsed by the U.S., a senior Arab diplomat told NBC News.

This was the same deal Secretary of State Antony Blinken described as very generous when he visited the region last week to push for an agreement. The issue, however, was that after Blinken praised the deal Netanyahu didn’t send a negotiator to the talks. 

Without the Israelis there, Hamas agreed to its own terms and its own interpretation of the deal, the diplomat said. The diplomat believes that the group's unilateral acceptance of the deal is a pressure tactic.

“What we got from Hamas was a result of tireless efforts nonstop for the last 48 hours and a significant movement on Hamas original position,” the diplomat said, saying it was unclear how Netanyahu will react.

Hamas and the negotiators believed Netanyahu was trying to escape from any deal and push ahead with a military invasion of Rafah. The Arab diplomat said that if Israel isn’t happy with the terms Hamas agreed to, Netanyahu can send a negotiator to seal the deal.

Hostage families say Hamas announcement 'must pave the way' to release deal

Paul Goldman

The families of hostages in Gaza said Hamas' announcement that it is willing to accept a proposal "must pave the way for the return of the 132 hostages held captive," according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

"Now is the time for all that are involved, to fulfill their commitment and turn this opportunity into a deal for the return of all the hostages," the group said in a statement.

Hamas agrees to a three-phased hostage deal proposal over six weeks, source says

Ayman Mohyeldin

The proposal that Hamas said it agreed to is a three-phased hostage release that would play out over six weeks and would include a halt in military operations, an Arab official familiar with the deal said.

The source said the proposal does not use the word “cease-fire” but “the permanent halt to Israeli military operations and hostilities in Gaza.” There would be a release of one Israeli hostage for 33 Palestinian prisoners based on seniority of detention in Israeli prison, the source said.

Each phase encompasses the return of Israeli hostages from eldest, women, sick and finally soldiers.

It’s not yet clear if Israel has accepted this proposal, although it was the framework the U.S. had presented as acceptable to the Israelis. The source also added that this is a complex deal that is not yet done.

Biden administration reviewing Hamas' response

Gabe Gutierrez

A senior administration official says the White House is reviewing Hamas’ response to the cease-fire proposal. 

Right now, President Biden is meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan at the White House.

Peter Jeary

Palestinians in eastern Rafah have been urged to evacuate and move to Al-Mawasi, an Israeli-declared humanitarian zone near the coast.

Video shows what that area looks like.

Israel reviewing cease-fire proposal, source says

TEL AVIV — An Israeli official says the proposal Hamas has agreed to is not the framework that was agreed upon with mediators.

Israel is examining the proposal Hamas has agreed to and will respond, the source said.

Hamas announced today that it has agreed to a cease-fire proposal in a call to Qatari and Egyptian mediators but did not detail the terms of the agreement. The news comes the same day Israel ordered evacuations from Rafah, seemingly in preparation for intensified military operations in the border city.

Israeli defense minister said Rafah operations needed with lack of alternatives

Andrea Mitchell

Israel Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin earlier today and told Austin that military action is required, including in the area of Rafah, over a lack of alternative options, according to Gallant's office.

"Hamas continues to conduct attacks on the State of Israel and its citizens, while also indicating a lack of seriousness in regard to the frameworks that were submitted for the release of hostages," Gallant's office said in a statement.

Austin was informed about an attack on a military area near the Kerem Shalom crossing, which Hamas claimed responsibility for, over the weekend. Gallant also thanked Austin for U.S. support.

White House halted large shipment of deadly weapons to Israel last week

Carol E. Lee Carol E. Lee is the Washington managing editor.

Courtney Kube

The White House halted a large shipment of offensive weapons to Israel last week, as the Israel Defense Forces are ramping up for a ground invasion of Rafah, according to two senior administration officials familiar with the decision.

The shipment included 2,000-pound bombs and other ammunition that would likely be used in Rafah, the officials said. Israel already has a large arsenal, making the halt unlikely to stop an offensive.  

The officials say the move does not indicate a larger change in policy about providing weapons to Israel, but it has been very rare for the U.S. to withhold weapons and equipment to Israel because of concerns over how they could be used.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Axios was first to report the shipment being halted.

Hamas says it agrees to cease-fire deal

Ammar Cheikh Omar

Hamas announced in a statement today that the head of its political bureau has agreed to a cease-fire proposal.

The statement noted that Ismail Haniyeh informed Qatari and Egyptian mediators of its approval in a phone call today.

Israeli officials have not yet released a statement on the matter.

University of Texas senior speaks out about arrest at protest

Daniella Silva

A graduating senior at the University of Texas at Austin described rough treatment from police as she was arrested during a recent protest against the war in Gaza with other students. 

Anne-Marie Jardine, 22, said she was participating in an “incredibly peaceful” protest on April 24 when law enforcement officers arrived to arrest them. Jardine said she was released the next day after being booked on allegations of trespassing, but charges were never filed.

Jardine said multiple law enforcement agencies were present during the arrests.

She said she was standing with her arms locked with a friend when police hit the protesters with their bicycles. Several officers grabbed Jardine: “[They] threw me to the ground” and “dragged me by the hair and my arm,” she said.

Jardine said her injuries included a sprained neck, arm and lower back, as well as cuts and bruises. 

“I got hit in the stomach with the baton,” she said. “We had no idea that we were going to be met with this much violence.” 

The president of the University of Texas at Austin said in a statement that April 24 was a “challenging day for many.”

“The protesters tried to deliver on their stated intent to occupy campus,” Jay Hartzell said. “People not affiliated with UT joined them, and many ignored University officials’ continual pleas for restraint and to immediately disperse. The University did as we said we would do in the face of prohibited actions.”

Jardine said she believes the growing protests across college campuses have reached “a turning point.”

“The main goal or message has always been divest from death," she said. "Also, we want to bring awareness as to what’s happening and then you need to get as many people educated on it as possible, because ultimately, there’s no way to try to excuse genocide.”

Biden updates Netanyahu on hostage talks, makes position 'clear' on Rafah

President Joe Biden "reiterated his clear position on Rafah" on a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to a readout from the White House today.

There were no additional details on the conversation regarding Rafah, though Biden's administration has stated many times that it believes there would be devastating humanitarian consequences to intensified operations there.

Netanyahu agreed to ensure the Kerem Shalom crossing is open for humanitarian needs after an attack on an adjacent military compound prompted the crossing's closure over the weekend.

Biden also updated Netanyahu on "efforts to secure a hostage deal, including through ongoing talks today in Doha, Qatar."

The two leaders also acknowledged Holocaust Remembrance Day and the 6 million Jews who were targeted and murdered during "one of the darkest chapters in human history."

Students in Britain start encampments at Oxford and Cambridge

Inspired by recent protests in the U.S., students at the storied Cambridge and Oxford universities have set up encampments on campus.

The pro-Palestinian movement that began at Columbia University and swept campuses across the U.S. has inspired some international schools to demand their institutions divest from weapons manufacturers and cut ties to Israel.

A group called Cambridge for Palestine posted on social media what it said were the university's investments showing how it collaborates with "the Zionist project of ethnically cleansing Palestine."

A similar thread was posted by Oxford Action for Palestine, which included in its list of demands that the university divest from arms companies and invest in the rebuilding of Palestinian territories. The group released a statement announcing its encampment , saying it was the evolution of months of demonstrations, petitions and "all possible efforts to work with the Administration."

"Palestinian liberation concerns all of us," the statement said. "As we all bear witness, we are compelled to act. We are members of an institution that makes this suffering possible."

Both universities responded to the encampments, acknowledging the rights of student and staff to engage in peaceful protest, according to Sky News , and asked that environments remain respectful.

Displaced teachers set up tent school in Rafah

Airstrikes are frequent, drones buzz constantly overhead and an Israeli ground invasion looms large. But on a small patch of sandy wasteland on the outskirts of Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah, a group of teachers has set up classrooms in tents, determined to continue educating as war rages around them.

“This magnificent scene sends a message to the world: We are a nation that loves to learn and loves education, that rejects ignorance,” Nehad Badria, the principal, said in an address to students last week as they lined up outside the tents.

The students, all girls ages 6 to 15, listened intently before Badria led them in call-and-response chants. “We love to learn,” they shouted, pumping their fists in the air. “We are free, Arab Palestine.”

Set up to serve some of the tens of thousands of children displaced by the fighting in Gaza, the school is named Al Awdah, which means “return” in Arabic, a nod to the hope that students and teachers can one day return to their homes in other parts of the enclave.

Read the full story here.

World leaders warn Rafah offensive is 'massacre' in the making

Leaders in the Middle East and Europe raised the alarm again over an intensified operation in Rafah, warning that already catastrophic humanitarian conditions will worsen.

Ayman Safadi, Jordan's foreign minister, wrote in a post on X that an operation in the southern border city would be an "indelible stain" on the international community. He said "another massacre of the Palestinians is in the making" and that everyone must act to prevent it.

Egypt's foreign ministry warned that the "escalatory action" puts the lives of more than 1 million Palestinians sheltering in Rafah at risk.

"Egypt calls on Israel to exercise the utmost restraint and avoid further escalation at this extremely sensitive time in the process of ceasefire negotiations and to spare the blood of Palestinian civilians who have been exposed to an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe since the start of the war on the Gaza Strip," the ministry said in a statement.

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said that today's evacuation orders signify the worst to come, "more war and famine." Borrell urged Israel to renounce a ground offensive and urged international leaders to act.

According to France 24 , the French foreign ministry reiterated its opposition to an intensified Rafah invasion.

"The forced displacement of a civilian population constitutes a war crime," the ministry said in a statement.

Rafah offensive will not be a ‘picnic’ for Israeli forces, Hamas warns

Chantal Da Silva

A Hamas official has warned that any military operation in Rafah will "not be a picnic" for Israeli forces.

Izzat Al-Rishq said in a statement that a military offensive in the city, where more than a million people have taken refuge, would also put any negotiations for a cease-fire deal "in jeopardy."

"And it will not be a picnic for the enemy army, and Netanyahu and his government bear full responsibility," Al-Rishq said.

Biden to speak with Netanyahu this morning to discuss Rafah

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this morning to discuss the potential ground assault on Rafah, according to a National Security Council spokesperson.

An Israeli official also confirmed the two will speak today.

“We can’t speak for IDF operations. We have made our views clear on a major ground invasion of Rafah to the Israeli government, and the president will speak with the prime minister today," an NSC spokesperson said.

"We continue to believe that a hostage deal is the best way to preserve the lives of the hostages, and avoid an invasion of Rafah, where more than a million people are sheltering. Those talks are ongoing now," the spokesperson added.

Columbia cancels universitywide commencement ceremony after weeks of protests on campus

Antonia Hylton

Mirna Alsharif

Marlene Lenthang

Columbia will replace its universitywide commencement ceremony May 15 with “smaller-scale, school-based celebrations,” university officials announced today,   after weeks of pro-Palestinian and counterprotests on campus.

The Ivy League school said the decision was made after discussions with student leaders. Security concerns were a main reason behind the decision, a university official told NBC News.

Evacuation orders could be start of 'nightmare scenario,' aid group tells NBC News

Israel's calls for Palestinians in eastern Rafah to evacuate the area to Al-Mawasi, just north of the city, marks "the start of the nightmare scenario that we've been dreading for months," warned Samah Hadid, a spokesperson for the Norwegian Refugee Council.

"We’ve been warning against a military operation in Rafah because the consequences will be deadly and devastating for the over 1 million IDPs in the area," Hadid said in a phone interview with NBC News this morning, using the acronym for internally displaced persons.

Hadid said her organization not only fears for the safety of those who remain in Rafah, but also for those who evacuate to the Al-Mawasi area, which she said she does not believe is equipped to handle a mass influx of people. "It doesn't have the humanitarian services and assistance that’s required to accommodate such a large number of displaced people so it’s ... for us, it’s impossible for this area to be designated as a safe area or a humanitarian zone," she said.

Calling on the Biden administration to "use its influence and leverage over Israel" to stop any possible military operation in Rafah, Hadid said: "It is beyond time for the U.S. government to suspend its arms sales" and military aid to Israel.

Israel orders Al Jazeera to close its local operation and seizes some of its equipment

The Associated Press

Israel ordered the local offices of Qatar’s Al Jazeera satellite news network to close yesterday, escalating a long-running feud between the broadcaster and Netanyahu’s hard-line government as the Doha-mediated cease-fire negotiations with Hamas hang in the balance.

The extraordinary order, which includes confiscating broadcast equipment, preventing the broadcast of the channel’s reports and blocking its websites, is believed to be the first time Israel has ever shuttered a foreign news outlet operating in the country.

Al Jazeera went off Israel’s main cable and satellite providers in the hours after the order. However, its website and multiple online streaming links still operated yesterday.

“Al Jazeera reporters harmed Israel’s security and incited against soldiers,” Netanyahu said in a statement. “It’s time to remove the Hamas mouthpiece from our country.”

Al Jazeera issued a statement vowing it will “pursue all available legal channels through international legal institutions in its quest to protect both its rights and journalists, as well as the public’s right to information.”

“Israel’s ongoing suppression of the free press, seen as an effort to conceal its actions in the Gaza Strip, stands in contravention of international and humanitarian law,” the network said. “Israel’s direct targeting and killing of journalists, arrests, intimidation and threats will not deter Al Jazeera.”

Palestinians, forced to move again, fear Rafah assault is imminent

JERUSALEM — Palestinians are being forced to move once again, and they are increasingly convinced that an Israeli operation in Rafah is coming.

This time, in an unprecedented move, they're being forced out of the city of Rafah along the Egyptian border where more than 1 million Palestinians are taking shelter because they were told it would be safe there.

They were told to get out of the way to allow for new Israeli military operations against Hamas and instructed to go to another area on the Mediterranean coast, which Israel designated as a not-quite-safe but safer zone.

Civilians pack their lives into vehicles in Rafah

Max Butterworth

Displaced Palestinians were packing their belongings into vehicles this morning as they prepared to flee Rafah following an evacuation order by the Israeli military.

Netanyahu delivers fiery speech as Israel honors Holocaust victims

JERUSALEM — This morning, Israelis stopped for two minutes of silence to remember the six million Jews butchered by the Nazis and their allies during World War II.

The moment of contemplation came a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected international pressure to halt the war in Gaza in a fiery speech.

“If Israel is forced to stand alone, Israel will stand alone,” he said yesterday, amid calls for restraint from a growing chorus of world leaders who have criticized the heavy toll caused by Israel’s military offensive against Hamas in Gaza.

His message was delivered in a setting that typically avoids politics on one of the most solemn dates on the country’s calendar.

“I say to the leaders of the world: No amount of pressure, no decision by any international forum will stop Israel from defending itself,” he said, speaking in English. “Never again is now.”

Hamas says Rafah evacuation order a ‘dangerous escalation' as two sides trade blame with talks stalled

Israel's order for Palestinians to evacuate eastern Rafah is a "dangerous escalation that will have consequences," a senior Hamas official warned this morning.

The official, Sami Abu Zuhri, told the Reuters news agency that the U.S. also "bears responsibility for this terrorism," in an apparent reference to Washington's support for Israel.

Meanwhile, Israel accused the militant group of having “sabotaged” a possible cease-fire deal.

In a statement released this morning, the Israeli prime minister's office appeared to strike out at comments from top Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh yesterday accusing Israel of torpedoing efforts to reach a deal.

“The claim that Prime Minister Netanyahu and not Hamas is the one who sabotaged the hostage release deal is a complete lie and a deliberate deception of the public,” the statement said. “The truth is completely the opposite. Hamas is the one that sabotages every deal by not moving a millimeter from its extreme demands that no government in Israel can accept.”

NBC News sees families begin to evacuate eastern Rafah after IDF order

Video captured by NBC News' crew on the ground in Gaza this morning showed families leaving eastern Rafah, with their few possessions in tow.

Cars and trucks could be seen driving away from the area, their roofs loaded with stacked mattresses, rolled-up blankets and other necessities.

Some could be seen walking, carrying backpacks and hauling large plastic bags on their backs. Other families were just beginning to pack, filling the trunks of their cars with suitcases and boxes.

The city has been crowded with people for months, many of them displaced from elsewhere in Gaza after fleeing the Israeli military's assault further north in the Palestinian enclave.

Cease-fire talks have not completely collapsed, sources tell NBC News

JERUSALEM — Talks to secure a new cease-fire between Israel and Hamas have not completely collapsed, two regional sources told NBC News this morning.

A senior Arab negotiator directly involved in the talks with Israel and the United States said that the negotiations are not over and have not collapsed, so it is not yet clear when or whether a major Rafah operation could begin.

And an Israeli official also said the talks have not completely collapsed, adding that the fact CIA Director William Burns is in the country is an indication that there are still ongoing discussions. Burns was in the Qatari capital, Doha, for talks on the subject yesterday.

Hamas negotiators left the Egyptian capital, Cairo, without an agreement on a new deal to secure the release of hostages still held in Gaza and pause the fighting.

The IDF's order this morning for civilians to evacuate parts of Rafah had only added to the concern that a deal may be falling apart.

Richard Engel reported from Jerusalem, and Raf Sanchez from Tel Aviv.

Rafah evacuation comes after 4 IDF soldiers killed at Kerem Shalom crossing

Israel's call for Palestinians to evacuate eastern Rafah come a day after Israeli soldiers were killed in a Hamas "rocket and mortar barrage" toward the Kerem Shalom crossing, according to the IDF.

The crossing for delivering badly needed aid to Gaza was closed overnight and this morning the IDF said the number of soldiers killed had risen to four following the strike.

The IDF noted that it carried out a "counterstrike" in response to the assault and in a later news release said fighter jets struck "terror targets" in the area of Rafah from which projectiles were launched. It said a sniper post, a military structure and terrorist infrastructure were among the targets.

Video captured by NBC News' crew on the ground showed people gathering around a home Palestinians said was targeted in a strike last evening. Witnesses said several people were killed, including children, with video shot by NBC News' crew appearing to show the bodies of at least two children.

NBC News has reached out to the IDF for comment. Israeli officials have not stated any connection between the Kerem Shalom attack and today's Rafah activity.

IDF says evacuation of eastern Rafah is a 'limited scope operation' but questions remain

The evacuation of parts of eastern Rafah is a "limited scope operation," IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said in a briefing this morning.

Referencing a map outlining the areas Palestinians have been urged to evacuate, he said the development did not represent a "wide-scale evacuation." Israel has also described the evacuation as "temporary."

He further noted that Israel had expanded the "humanitarian area" in which people can seek refuge in Al-Mawasi, saying that effort included "field hospitals, tents, increased quantities of food, water, medicines and additional supplies." Shoshani said the amount of aid entering Gaza would also not change in the coming days.

But it is not clear how or when those being urged to flee Rafah would be able to return to the city, which many have only made their home after being displaced from elsewhere in the enclave. And many Gazans will fear that this could be just the beginning of a broader effort to clear civilians from a city that Israel has long been signaling it plans to assault with troops on the ground.

Rafah assault would be 'devastating for 1.4 million people,’ UNRWA says 

An assault on Rafah by Israeli forces would be "devastating for 1.4 million people," UNRWA has warned.

The United Nations' aid agency for Palestinians said in a post on X that an offensive in the southern city, where more than half of Gaza's population has sought shelter amid the war, would "mean more civilian suffering & deaths."

UNRWA said that its team in Rafah would not be evacuating the area and that the agency would maintain a presence in the city "as long as possible & will continue providing lifesaving aid to people."

Israel tells U.S. it has ‘no alternative’ to Rafah military action

Israel's defense minister told his U.S. counterpart in their exchange yesterday that his country had been left with "no alternative" but to launch an operation in Rafah.

Yoav Gallant said that Hamas was refusing any offer that would allow a deal for a cease-fire and release of hostages who remain held in Gaza, according to a readout from his office. As a result, he said, military action in Rafah was required given "the lack of an alternative."

It comes after the latest round of cease-fire talks appear to have stalled.

Lloyd Austin stressed the need for any military operation in Rafah to include a plan to evacuate civilians and maintain the flow of humanitarian aid, according to a readout of the conversation provided by the Pentagon.

No firm timeline for Rafah ground attack, Israeli official says

TEL AVIV — No firm timeline has been set for when Israeli ground troops will enter Rafah, an Israeli official has told NBC News.

The timing will depend on when the government gives the IDF the order to move in and on how long it takes for civilians in eastern Rafah to evacuate, the official said.

The U.S. and its allies have repeatedly urged Israel's government against a ground assault on the southern city, where more than half of Gaza's civilian population is thought to be sheltering.

But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted his troops will enter Rafah to target Hamas leaders, whether before or after a new truce deal.

IDF drops leaflets over eastern Rafah urging people to evacuate

The IDF has dropped leaflets over eastern Rafah urging Palestinians to evacuate the area to Al-Mawasi, several miles north of the encampment where hundreds of thousands of people have sought shelter.

In leaflets seen by NBC News' crew on the ground, people in parts of Al-Shouka, Al-Salam, Al-Jeneina, Tabbah Ziraa, and Al-Byouk were warned to "evacuate immediately to the expanded humanitarian area of Al-Mawasi."

They also urged Palestinians to avoid trying to return north of the Wadi Gaza, saying Gaza City is "still a dangerous combat zone."

In separate flyers, the IDF outlined where humanitarian services would be expanded in Al-Mawasi area.

Around 100,000 people told to evacuate eastern Rafah, IDF spokesman says

TEL AVIV — The number of people being told to move from eastern Rafah into what Israel says is an expanded humanitarian area is estimated to be around 100,000, an IDF spokesman said. 

Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani would not say in a media briefing how long civilians have to evacuate under this morning’s evacuation order. 

He also would not go into detail about how the operation will impact the Rafah crossing but said the IDF is committed to maintaining the flow of aid into Gaza. He said the humanitarian zone would be “safer” for civilians but that the IDF reserved the right to strike against Hamas inside the zone.

IDF instructs people in eastern Rafah to move to humanitarian zone

Rudy Chinchilla

Israeli forces today began instructing people in eastern portions of Rafah to move into a humanitarian zone, potentially signaling preparations for a ground invasion of the southern Gaza city.

The call for Palestinians to move was confirmed by the Israel Defense Forces, which included a map of the humanitarian area . "Calls to temporarily move to the humanitarian area will be conveyed through posters, SMS messages, phone calls and media broadcasts in Arabic," the IDF said in a statement.

A possible ground offensive in Rafah has been widely condemned internationally, with United Nations officials warning that it would increase the civilian death toll and worsen the humanitarian crisis in the enclave.

The move also comes despite President Joe Biden repeatedly stating U.S. opposition to an invasion of Rafah, where the population has swelled to an estimated 1.4 million people following Israel’s offensive in Gaza in retaliation for Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel and the taking of hostages Oct. 7.

The Biden administration has threatened consequences for Israel should it move forward with a military assault without a credible plan to safeguard civilians in Rafah, which had a prewar population of around 250,000. 

Austin reiterates need for civilian protections in Rafah

Mosheh Gains

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin yesterday stressed the need for any Israeli military operation in Rafah to include a plan to evacuate civilians and maintain the flow of humanitarian aid.

He made the remarks while speaking with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, according to a readout of the conversation provided by Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder. During the discussion, Austin reiterated the U.S. commitment to supporting Israel's defense, and reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring the return of all hostages taken by Hamas militants.

CIA director may travel to Israel for more cease-fire and hostage negotiations

Dan De Luce

CIA Director William Burns may travel to Israel for more cease-fire and hostage release talks after holding discussions yesterday in the Qatari capital, Doha, a source with knowledge of the matter told NBC News.

Burns, whose schedule remained fluid amid uncertainty over the outcome of the talks, has emerged as a key figure in the negotiations. The CIA director had previously been in Cairo, where Hamas stated that cease-fire discussions concluded yesterday following “in-depth and serious discussions.”

The militant group reiterated key demands that Israel again rejected. After earlier signs of progress, the outlook appeared to dim as  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu  vowed to resist international pressure to halt the war.

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A Plan to Remake the Middle East

While talks for a cease-fire between israel and hamas continue, another set of negotiations is happening behind the scenes..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

From New York Times, I’m Michael Barbaro. This is The Daily.

[MUSIC CONTINUES]

Today, if and when Israel and Hamas reach a deal for a ceasefire fire, the United States will immediately turn to a different set of negotiations over a grand diplomatic bargain that it believes could rebuild Gaza and remake the Middle East. My colleague Michael Crowley has been reporting on that plan and explains why those involved in it believe they have so little time left to get it done.

It’s Wednesday, May 8.

Michael, I want to start with what feels like a pretty dizzying set of developments in this conflict over the past few days. Just walk us through them?

Well, over the weekend, there was an intense round of negotiations in an effort, backed by the United States, to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza war.

The latest ceasefire proposal would reportedly see as many as 33 Israeli hostages released in exchange for potentially hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

US officials were very eager to get this deal.

Pressure for a ceasefire has been building ahead of a threatened Israeli assault on Rafah.

Because Israel has been threatening a military offensive in the Southern Palestinian city of Rafah, where a huge number of people are crowded.

Fleeing the violence to the North. And now they’re packed into Rafah. Exposed and vulnerable, they need to be protected.

And the US says it would be a humanitarian catastrophe on top of the emergency that’s already underway.

Breaking news this hour — very important breaking news. An official Hamas source has told The BBC that it does accept a proposal for a ceasefire deal in Gaza.

And for a few hours on Monday, it looked like there might have been a major breakthrough when Hamas put out a statement saying that it had accepted a negotiating proposal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the ceasefire proposal does not meet his country’s requirements. But Netanyahu says he will send a delegation of mediators to continue those talks. Now, the terms —

But those hopes were dashed pretty quickly when the Israelis took a look at what Hamas was saying and said that it was not a proposal that they had agreed to. It had been modified.

And overnight —

Israeli troops stormed into Rafah. Video showing tanks crashing over a sign at the entrance of the city.

— the Israelis launched a partial invasion of Rafah.

It says Hamas used the area to launch a deadly attack on Israeli troops over the weekend.

And they have now secured a border crossing at the Southern end of Gaza and are conducting targeted strikes. This is not yet the full scale invasion that President Biden has adamantly warned Israel against undertaking, but it is an escalation by Israel.

So while all that drama might suggest that these talks are in big trouble, these talks are very much still alive and ongoing and there is still a possibility of a ceasefire deal.

And the reason that’s so important is not just to stop the fighting in Gaza and relieve the suffering there, but a ceasefire also opens the door to a grand diplomatic bargain, one that involves Israel and its Arab neighbors and the Palestinians, and would have very far-reaching implications.

And what is that grand bargain. Describe what you’re talking about?

Well, it’s incredibly ambitious. It would reshape Israel’s relationship with its Arab neighbors, principally Saudi Arabia. But it’s important to understand that this is a vision that has actually been around since well before October 7. This was a diplomatic project that President Biden had been investing in and negotiating actually in a very real and tangible way long before the Hamas attacks and the Gaza war.

And President Biden was looking to build on something that President Trump had done, which was a series of agreements that the Trump administration struck in which Israel and some of its Arab neighbors agreed to have normal diplomatic relations for the first time.

Right, they’re called the Abraham Accords.

That’s right. And, you know, Biden doesn’t like a lot of things, most things that Trump did. But he actually likes this, because the idea is that they contribute to stability and economic integration in the Middle East, the US likes Israel having friends and likes having a tight-knit alliance against Iran.

President Biden agrees with the Saudis and with the Israelis, that Iran is really the top threat to everybody here. So, how can you build on this? How can you expand it? Well, the next and biggest step would be normalizing relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

And the Saudis have made clear that they want to do this and that they’re ready to do this. They weren’t ready to do it in the Trump years. But Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, has made clear he wants to do it now.

So this kind of triangular deal began to take shape before October 7, in which the US, Israel, and Saudi Arabia would enter this three way agreement in which everyone would get something that they wanted.

And just walk through what each side gets in this pre-October 7th version of these negotiations?

So for Israel, you get normalized ties with its most important Arab neighbor and really the country that sets the tone for the whole Muslim world, which is Saudi Arabia of course. It makes Israel feel safer and more secure. Again, it helps to build this alliance against Iran, which Israel considers its greatest threat, and it comes with benefits like economic ties and travel and tourism. And Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been very open, at least before October 7th, that this was his highest diplomatic and foreign policy priority.

For the Saudis, the rationale is similar when it comes to Israel. They think that it will bring stability. They like having a more explicitly close ally against Iran. There are economic and cultural benefits. Saudi Arabia is opening itself up in general, encouraging more tourism.

But I think that what’s most important to the Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is what he can get from the United States. And what he has been asking for are a couple of essential things. One is a security agreement whose details have always been a little bit vague, but I think essentially come down to reliable arms supplies from the United States that are not going to be cut off or paused on a whim, as he felt happened when President Biden stopped arms deliveries in 2021 because of how Saudi was conducting its war in Yemen. The Saudis were furious about that.

Saudi Arabia also wants to start a domestic nuclear power program. They are planning for a very long-term future, possibly a post-oil future. And they need help getting a nuclear program off the ground.

And they want that from the US?

And they want that from the US.

Now, those are big asks from the us. But from the perspective of President Biden, there are some really enticing things about this possible agreement. One is that it will hopefully produce more stability in the region. Again, the US likes having a tight-knit alliance against Iran.

The US also wants to have a strong relationship with Saudi Arabia. You know, despite the anger at Mohammed bin Salman over the murder of the Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi, the Biden administration recognizes that given the Saudis control over global oil production and their strategic importance in the Middle East, they need to have a good relationship with them. And the administration has been worried about the influence of China in the region and with the Saudis in particular.

So this is an opportunity for the US to draw the Saudis closer. Whatever our moral qualms might be about bin Salman and the Saudi government, this is an opportunity to bring the Saudis closer, which is something the Biden administration sees as a strategic benefit.

All three of these countries — big, disparate countries that normally don’t see eye-to-eye, this was a win-win-win on a military, economic, and strategic front.

That’s right. But there was one important actor in the region that did not see itself as winning, and that was the Palestinians.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

First, it’s important to understand that the Palestinians have always expected that the Arab countries in the Middle East would insist that Israel recognize a Palestinian state before those countries were willing to essentially make total peace and have normal relations with Israel.

So when the Abraham Accords happened in the Trump administration, the Palestinians felt like they’d been thrown under the bus because the Abraham Accords gave them virtually nothing. But the Palestinians did still hold out hope that Saudi Arabia would be their savior. And for years, Saudi Arabia has said that Israel must give the Palestinians a state if there’s going to be a normal relationship between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Now the Palestinians see the Saudis in discussions with the US and Israel about a normalization agreement, and there appears to be very little on offer for the Palestinians. And they are feeling like they’re going to be left out in the cold here.

Right. And in the minds of the Palestinians, having already been essentially sold out by all their other Arab neighbors, the prospect that Saudi Arabia, of all countries, the most important Muslim Arab country in the region, would sell them out, had to be extremely painful.

It was a nightmare scenario for them. And in the minds of many analysts and US officials, this was a factor, one of many, in Hamas’s decision to stage the October 7th attacks.

Hamas, like other Palestinian leaders, was seeing the prospect that the Middle East was moving on and essentially, in their view, giving up on the Palestinian cause, and that Israel would be able to have friendly, normal relations with Arab countries around the region, and that it could continue with hardline policies toward the Palestinians and a refusal, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said publicly, to accept a Palestinian state.

Right. So Michael, once Hamas carries out the October 7th attacks in an effort to destroy a status quo that it thinks is leaving them less and less relevant, more and more hopeless, including potentially this prospect that Saudi Arabia is going to normalize relations with Israel, what happens to these pre-October 7th negotiations between the US, Saudi Arabia, and Israel?

Well, I think there was a snap assumption that these talks were dead and buried. That they couldn’t possibly survive a cataclysm like this.

But then something surprising happened. It became clear that all the parties were still determined to pull-off the normalization.

And most surprisingly of all, perhaps, was the continued eagerness of Saudi Arabia, which publicly was professing outrage over the Israeli response to the Hamas attacks, but privately was still very much engaged in these conversations and trying to move them forward.

And in fact, what has happened is that the scope of this effort has grown substantially. October 7th didn’t kill these talks. It actually made them bigger, more complicated, and some people would argue, more important than ever.

We’ll be right back.

Michael, walk us through what exactly happens to these three-way negotiations after October 7th that ends up making them, as you just said, more complicated and more important than ever?

Well, it’s more important than ever because of the incredible need in Gaza. And it’s going to take a deal like this and the approval of Saudi Arabia to unlock the kind of massive reconstruction project required to essentially rebuild Gaza from the rubble. Saudi Arabia and its Arab friends are also going to be instrumental in figuring out how Gaza is governed, and they might even provide troops to help secure it. None of those things are going to happen without a deal like this.

Fascinating.

But this is all much more complicated now because the price for a deal like this has gone up.

And by price, you mean?

What Israel would have to give up. [MUSIC PLAYING]

From Saudi Arabia’s perspective, you have an Arab population that is furious at Israel. It now feels like a really hard time to do a normalization deal with the Israelis. It was never going to be easy, but this is about as bad a time to do it as there has been in a generation at least. And I think that President Biden and the people around him understand that the status quo between Israel and the Palestinians is intolerable and it is going to lead to chaos and violence indefinitely.

So now you have two of the three parties to this agreement, the Saudis and the Americans, basically asking a new price after October 7th, and saying to the Israelis, if we’re going to do this deal, it has to not only do something for the Palestinians, it has to do something really big. You have to commit to the creation of a Palestinian state. Now, I’ll be specific and say that what you hear the Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, say is that the agreement has to include an irreversible time-bound path to a Palestinian state.

We don’t know exactly what that looks like, but it’s some kind of a firm commitment, the likes of which the world and certainly the Israelis have not made before.

Something that was very much not present in the pre-October 7th vision of this negotiation. So much so that, as we just talked about, the Palestinians were left feeling completely out in the cold and furious at it.

That’s right. There was no sign that people were thinking that ambitiously about the Palestinians in this deal before October 7th. And the Palestinians certainly felt like they weren’t going to get much out of it. And that has completely changed now.

So, Michael, once this big new dimension after October 7th, which is the insistence by Saudi Arabia and the US that there be a Palestinian state or a path to a Palestinian state, what is the reaction specifically from Israel, which is, of course, the third major party to this entire conversation?

Well, Israel, or at least its political leadership, hates it. You know, this is just an extremely tough sell in Israel. It would have been a tough sell before October 7th. It’s even harder now.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is completely unrepentantly open in saying that there’s not going to be a Palestinian state on his watch. He won’t accept it. He says that it’s a strategic risk to his country. He says that it would, in effect, reward Hamas.

His argument is that terrorism has forced a conversation about statehood onto the table that wasn’t there before October 7th. Sure, it’s always in the background. It’s a perennial issue in global affairs, but it was not something certainly that the US and Israel’s Arab neighbors were actively pushing. Netanyahu also has — you know, he governs with the support of very right-wing members of a political coalition that he has cobbled together. And that coalition is quite likely to fall apart if he does embrace a Palestinian state or a path to a Palestinian state.

Now, he might be able to cobble together some sort of alternative, but it creates a political crisis for him.

And finally, you know, I think in any conversation about Israel, it’s worth bearing in mind something you hear from senior US officials these days, which is that although there is often finger pointing at Netanyahu and a desire to blame Netanyahu as this obstructionist who won’t agree to deals, what they say is Netanyahu is largely reflecting his population and the political establishment of his country, not just the right-wingers in his coalition who are clearly extremist.

But actually the prevailing views of the Israeli public. And the Israeli public and their political leaders across the spectrum right now with few exceptions, are not interested in talking about a Palestinian state when there are still dozens and dozens of Israeli hostages in tunnels beneath Gaza.

So it very much looks like this giant agreement that once seemed doable before October 7th might be more important to everyone involved than ever, given that it’s a plan for rebuilding Gaza and potentially preventing future October 7th’s from happening, but because of this higher price that Israel would have to pay, which is the acceptance of a Palestinian state, it seems from everything you’re saying, that this is more and more out of reach than ever before and hard to imagine happening in the immediate future. So if the people negotiating it are being honest, Michael, are they ready to acknowledge that it doesn’t look like this is going to happen?

Well, not quite yet. As time goes by, they certainly say it’s getting harder and harder, but they’re still trying, and they still think there’s a chance. But both the Saudis and the Biden administration understand that there’s very little time left to do this.

Well, what do you mean there’s very little time left? It would seem like time might benefit this negotiation in that it might give Israel distance from October 7th to think potentially differently about a Palestinian state?

Potentially. But Saudi Arabia wants to get this deal done in the Biden administration because Mohammed bin Salman has concluded this has to be done under a Democratic president.

Because Democrats in Congress are going to be very reluctant to approve a security agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia.

It’s important to understand that if there is a security agreement, that’s something Congress is going to have to approve. And you’re just not going to get enough Democrats in Congress to support a deal with Saudi Arabia, who a lot of Democrats don’t like to begin with, because they see them as human rights abusers.

But if a Democratic president is asking them to do it, they’re much more likely to go along.

Right. So Saudi Arabia fears that if Biden loses and Trump is president, that those same Democrats would balk at this deal in a way that they wouldn’t if it were being negotiated under President Biden?

Exactly. Now, from President Biden’s perspective, politically, think about a president who’s running for re-election, who is presiding right now over chaos in the Middle East, who doesn’t seem to have good answers for the Israeli-Palestinian question, this is an opportunity for President Biden to deliver what could be at least what he would present as a diplomatic masterstroke that does multiple things at once, including creating a new pathway for Israel and the Palestinians to coexist, to break through the logjam, even as he is also improving Israel’s relations with Saudi Arabia.

So Biden and the Crown Prince hope that they can somehow persuade Bibi Netanyahu that in spite of all the reasons that he thinks this is a terrible idea, that this is a bet worth taking on Israel’s and the region’s long-term security and future?

That’s right. Now, no one has explained very clearly exactly how this is going to work, and it’s probably going to require artful diplomacy, possibly even a scenario where the Israelis would agree to something that maybe means one thing to them and means something else to other people. But Biden officials refuse to say that it’s hopeless and they refuse to essentially take Netanyahu’s preliminary no’s for an answer. And they still see some way that they can thread this incredibly narrow needle.

Michael, I’m curious about a constituency that we haven’t been talking about because they’re not at the table in these discussions that we are talking about here. And that would be Hamas. How does Hamas feel about the prospect of such a deal like this ever taking shape. Do they see it as any kind of a victory and vindication for what they did on October 7th?

So it’s hard to know exactly what Hamas’s leadership is thinking. I think they can feel two things. I think they can feel on the one hand, that they have established themselves as the champions of the Palestinian people who struck a blow against Israel and against a diplomatic process that was potentially going to leave the Palestinians out in the cold.

At the same time, Hamas has no interest in the kind of two-state solution that the US is trying to promote. They think Israel should be destroyed. They think the Palestinian state should cover the entire geography of what is now Israel, and they want to lead a state like that. And that’s not something that the US, Saudi Arabia, or anyone else is going to tolerate.

So what Hamas wants is to fight, to be the leader of the Palestinian people, and to destroy Israel. And they’re not interested in any sort of a peace process or statehood process.

It seems very clear from everything you’ve said here that neither Israel nor Hamas is ready to have the conversation about a grand bargain diplomatic program. And I wonder if that inevitably has any bearing on the ceasefire negotiations that are going on right now between the two of them that are supposed to bring this conflict to some sort of an end, even if it’s just temporary?

Because if, as you said, Michael, a ceasefire opens the door to this larger diplomatic solution, and these two players don’t necessarily want that larger diplomatic solution, doesn’t that inevitably impact their enthusiasm for even reaching a ceasefire?

Well, it certainly doesn’t help. You know, this is such a hellish problem. And of course, you first have the question of whether Israel and Hamas can make a deal on these immediate issues, including the hostages, Palestinian prisoners, and what the Israeli military is going to do, how long a ceasefire might last.

But on top of that, you have these much bigger diplomatic questions that are looming over them. And it’s not clear that either side is ready to turn and face those bigger questions.

So while for the Biden administration and for Saudi Arabia, this is a way out of this crisis, these larger diplomatic solutions, it’s not clear that it’s a conversation that the two parties that are actually at war here are prepared to start having.

Well, Michael, thank you very much. We appreciate it.

On Tuesday afternoon, under intense pressure from the US, delegations from Israel and Hamas arrived in Cairo to resume negotiations over a potential ceasefire. But in a statement, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made clear that even with the talks underway, his government would, quote, “continue to wage war against Hamas.”

Here’s what else you need to know today. In a dramatic day of testimony, Stormy Daniels offered explicit details about an alleged sexual encounter with Donald Trump that ultimately led to the hush money payment at the center of his trial. Daniels testified that Trump answered the door in pajamas, that he told her not to worry that he was married, and that he did not use a condom when they had sex.

That prompted lawyers for Trump to seek a mistrial based on what they called prejudicial testimony. But the judge in the case rejected that request. And,

We’ve seen a ferocious surge of anti-Semitism in America and around the world.

In a speech on Tuesday honoring victims of the Holocaust, President Biden condemned what he said was the alarming rise of anti-Semitism in the United States after the October 7th attacks on Israel. And he expressed worry that too many Americans were already forgetting the horrors of that attack.

The Jewish community, I want you to know I see your fear, your hurt, and your pain. Let me reassure you, as your president, you’re not alone. You belong. You always have and you always will.

Today’s episode was produced by Nina Feldman, Clare Toeniskoetter, and Rikki Novetsky. It was edited by Liz O. Baylen, contains original music by Marion Lozano, Elisheba Ittoop, and Dan Powell, and was engineered by Alyssa Moxley. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly.

That’s it for The Daily. I’m Michael Barbaro. See you tomorrow.

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• May 8, 2024   •   28:28 A Plan to Remake the Middle East
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Hosted by Michael Barbaro

Featuring Michael Crowley

Produced by Nina Feldman ,  Clare Toeniskoetter and Rikki Novetsky

Edited by Liz O. Baylen

Original music by Marion Lozano ,  Elisheba Ittoop and Dan Powell

Engineered by Alyssa Moxley

Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube

If and when Israel and Hamas reach a deal for a cease-fire, the United States will immediately turn to a different set of negotiations over a grand diplomatic bargain that it believes could rebuild Gaza and remake the Middle East.

Michael Crowley, who covers the State Department and U.S. foreign policy for The Times, explains why those involved in this plan believe they have so little time left to get it done.

On today’s episode

Michael Crowley , a reporter covering the State Department and U.S. foreign policy for The New York Times.

Background reading :

Talks on a cease-fire in the Gaza war are once again at an uncertain stage .

Here’s how the push for a deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia looked before Oct. 7 .

From early in the war, President Biden has said that a lasting resolution requires a “real” Palestinian state .

Here’s what Israeli officials are discussing about postwar Gaza.

There are a lot of ways to listen to The Daily. Here’s how.

We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson and Nina Lassam.

Michael Crowley covers the State Department and U.S. foreign policy for The Times. He has reported from nearly three dozen countries and often travels with the secretary of state. More about Michael Crowley

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Israel-Gaza latest: Israel's use of weapons provided by US 'likely violated' international law, report for Biden govt finds

The Biden administration says Israel likely violated international law with US-provided weapons. Earlier, Israel's ambassador to the UN used a paper shredder to shred the UN charter on stage at the UN General Assembly.

Friday 10 May 2024 22:08, UK

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• Israeli ambassador to United Nations shreds 'copy of UN charter'
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The US government has said that Israel's use of US-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law.

In the findings of a state department report - known as the national security memorandum - the Biden administration said it has found "reasonable" evidence to conclude that its ally had breached international law but said it was unable to link specific US weapons to individual Israeli strikes. 

By Mark Stone , US correspondent 

A huge majority of the world's nations voted with the Palestinians at the United Nations today.

But who were the nine countries that voted against the Palestinian quest for membership, rights and privileges at the UN, and why?

The current Israeli government is firmly against a Palestinian state in every sense.

Different iterations of Israeli governments over the years have oscillated on 'two states', but after the 7 October Hamas attacks the Israeli position cemented - no two states, no Palestinian state.

Broadly, they do not distinguish between the extremism of Hamas and the moderate nature of other Palestinian political factions like the Fatah-run Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. It's the crux of deadlock.

So who else? 

The United States

They stand behind Israel despite significant tension now between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

America is committed to a two-state solution but argues that it begins with a ceasefire and that the formation of a Palestinian state comes much further down the line.

Speaking after the vote, White House spokesman John Kirby said: "We continue to believe in the promise of a two-state solution and an independent state for the Palestinian people. 

"That's something that President Biden remains fully and firmly committed to. We also believe that the best way to do that is through direct negotiations with the parties and not through a vote at the UN of this kind, so that's why we voted no."

As always with geopolitics, relationships are so often symbiotic; they are all about mutual benefit even when, ostensibly, the relationship might seem incongruous.

The eastern-European EU member voted with Israel and against the Palestinians.

Don't assume that hard-right Hungarian Prime Minister Orban's hatred of Hungarian-born Jewish-US billionaire George Soros is a reflection of his views on Israel despite the anti-Soros narrative often being seen as antisemitic.

Antisemitism has haunted the right of politics in Hungary since the Second World War when half a million Jewish Hungarians were murdered. Yet Orban and Netanyahu have a close, longstanding relationship.

Israel and Hungary are aligned by mutual interests. 

Orban admires the way Netanyahu's ethos of building strength out of a small nation-state and the two leaders found mutual interest in standing up to liberal democratic headwinds.

Orban's fallout with the EU has aligned with Netanyahu's assessment that Europe is increasingly anti-Israel.

The Soros-hatred also aligns with Netanyahu in that the conspiracy is that Soros is somehow seeking to 'Islamise' Judeo-Christian Europe with his pro-immigration stance.

Argentina's vote is driven by new populist President Javier Milei who has pledged unwavering support for Netanyahu and has vowed to move Argentina's embassy to Jerusalem. 

Milei has said he plans to convert to Judaism.

Czech Republic

The Czech Republic also voted with Israel in line with a strongly pro-Israel stance underlined repeatedly since 7 October.

There is a strong historical bond between Czech leaders and the Zionist movement which helped cement the Jewish State which strengthened after the fall of Communism in 1989. 

As a new democracy, the Czech Republic bonded with a young democracy in Israel. In recent years, economic ties have flourished.

Pacific Island Nations

The rest, curiously maybe, are all Pacific Island nations: Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, Nauru and Palau.

The reason for their support is simple: straightforward soft power.

The small developing nations all enjoy generous Israeli aid from the government and from Israeli charities. 

The understanding is that, in return, they will always support Israel at international bodies of which they are members.

Israel insists that its motivation is predominantly humanitarian, but officials are up front to that it's also about positioning Israel in a better light.

Israel uses its considerable expertise in many arenas deftly.

At natural disasters, for example, Israeli rescue crews are often among the first on the ground. 

This targeted soft power diplomacy has helped Israel to secure votes, but also abstentions in its favour among many other nations too.

On this vote though, on Palestine, global opinion was overwhelmingly against Israel.

Israel's entry for Eurovision 2024, Eden Golan, has become one of the favourites among bookies to win this year's contest.

The 20-year-old singer climbed to second favourite from ninth after the semi-final, according to Eurovision World, a website that compiles betting odds from 15 of Europe's biggest bookmakers. 

It said Israel is seen as having a 22% chance of winning, behind Croatia's Baby Lasagna who was seen having a 41% chance.

It comes despite more than 10,000 people gathering in the host Swedish city of Malmo to stage a non-violent protest against Israel's participation in Saturday's final.

While the results of the two semi-finals are decided by viewers, in the final, audience votes will make up only half of the result, while juries of five music professionals in each participating country will make up the other half.

Earlier, the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations appeared on stage at a meeting of the UN General Assembly.

Whilst on stage in New York he shredded "a copy of the UN charter" - which was, in reality, three pieces of paper.

His actions came moments before the 193-member world body approved a resolution, giving Palestine new "rights and privileges" within the agency. 

Watch the full moment below. 

A first of its kind report by the US government is expected to conclude that Israel has not violated the terms of its use of US weapons, according to sources cited by the Associated Press. 

The report - known as the national security memorandum - was pushed by President Joe Biden's Democrats in Congress.

When agreed to back in February, defence and state departments were tasked to conduct "an assessment of any credible reports or allegations that such defence articles and, defence services, have been used in a manner not consistent with international law, including international humanitarian law".

They were also obliged to tell Congress if they thought Israel has acted to "arbitrarily to deny, restrict, or otherwise impede, directly or indirectly," delivery of any US-supported humanitarian aid into Gaza for starving civilians there.

It follows the US pausing a shipment of 3,500 bombs heading for Israel over concern they would be used in an offensive on Rafah.

The conclusions of the memorandum are expected to be sharply critical of Israel, but will not state that Israel violated terms of weapons agreements between the two countries. 

A senior Biden administration official said the full report is expected to be released later today, but declined to comment on its conclusions.

Palestinians in Rafah are still preparing to evacuate the eastern parts of the city amid the threat of an Israeli ground offensive. 

The United Nations estimates around 110,000 Palestinians have already fled in search of safety. 

In the latest pictures from the city, a tent camp where people are currently living is seen. 

In one of the images, people appear to have started to make piles of their belongings as they get ready to evacuate. 

South Africa has asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to order additional emergency measures against Israel over its attacks on the city of Rafah, the United Nations top court has said. 

It is part of the ongoing case brought by South Africa in January which accuses Israel of acts of genocide against Palestinians . 

The court - which is located in The Hague in the Netherlands - ordered Israel at the beginning of the year to take all measures within its power to prevent genocide.

South Africa wanted the ICJ to implement provisional measures on Israel which would "immediately suspend military operations in and against Gaza" - but the ICJ stopped short of that.

Any decision to impose provisional measures will be "hugely problematic" for the Israeli offensive, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed will continue until all hostages are returned and Hamas is destroyed.

Within the last few hours, the United Nations General Assembly has backed a bid put forward by Palestine for it to become a full agency member.

The vote passed by 143 votes to nine but 25 countries - including the UK - abstained.

In a post on X, the UK at the UN explained why it took the decision to abstain. 

"We are abstaining on this resolution because we believe that the first step towards achieving this goal is resolving the immediate crisis in Gaza," it said.

It said the fastest way to end the conflict is to secure a deal which releases all hostages and allows for a pause in fighting. 

The statement added that the UK remains firmly committed to a two-state solution and recognising a Palestinian state, including in the UN, and should be part of the process to achieving a sustainable ceasefire. 

The US ambassador to the UN Robert Wood gave similar reasons as to why America voted against the bid, saying its vote does not reflect opposition to Palestinian statehood.

"Instead, it is an acknowledgement that statehood will only come from a process that involves direct negotiations between the parties," he said.

What happens next?

For Palestine to become a full UN member, the 15-member UN Security Council will have to vote, and pass, the application.

At the last security council vote in March - which demanded a ceasefire in Gaza during the holy month of Ramadan - the US abstained.

The 14 other council members - including Russia, China and the UK - voted in favour.

For now, it remains unclear if or when the security council will vote on Palestine's membership bid.

Hamas has said it will hold talks with leaders of what it called "Palestinian resistance factions" to reconsider its negotiation strategy. 

It said the discussions need to be held due to Benjamin Netanyahu's behaviour, Israeli attacks on places in Rafah and the occupation of the city's border crossing with Egypt.

"Netanyahu and his government are using the negotiations as a cover to attack Rafah and occupy the crossing, and continue the war of extermination against our people, and they bear full responsibility for obstructing reaching an agreement," the statement said. 

Earlier this week, Hamas said they expressed agreement over a ceasefire deal following a phone call with Qatar's prime minister and Egypt's intelligence minister.

Israel later put an end to this, saying it would not accept the deal in its current form, a decision Hamas said today had brought things "back to square one". 

At least 34,943 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza since 7 October, the Hamas-run health ministry has said.

It said a further 78,572 have been injured.

Figures from the health ministry do not differentiate between troops and civilians.

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