For nearly four millennia, Jerusalem has been uniquely central to Judaism. King David (approx. 1000 B.C.E), declared the city Israel's capital, moving it from Hebron. Currently, the entire ancient city of Jerusalem, along with most of ancient Israel, resides in what is currently referred to as the "West Bank" by the international community. This central "heartland" of ancient Israel is in essence what most of the world is pressuring Israel to relinquish. Fundamentally, Israel is being encouraged (pressured) to disclaim most of its territorial heritage in exchange for transient paper guarantees of peace, such as the "disappearing" cold peace with Egypt, and the upcoming May 15th 2011 "facebook intifada", whereby organizers are encouraging millions of Arabs to invade Israel by land and by sea.
Numerically, Jerusalem is directly mentioned in the Bible some 650 times. "Jerusalem" is not mentioned even once in the Koran . Judaism predates Christianity and Islam by over a thousand years. Since ancient times, Jews have recited their holiday/daily prayers "facing" Jerusalem, while Muslims "turn their backs" on Jerusalem when praying.
Pro-Palestinian-Statehood UN legislation, coming around Sept. 2011, is quickly moving to declare a second Palestinian State in Gaza and the majority land mass of the "west bank" (Judea/ Samaria), without Palestinian guarantees of non-belligerency and without Israel's consent. This legislation effectively ignores UN Security Council Resolution 242 which authorized Israel to keep all its newly liberated land (from 1967) until "secure and recognized boundaries" were attained. Resolution 242 has been the basis for all peace talks, and does not mention Israel's presence in and control of Jerusalem.
In reference to Jerusalem and the pro-Palestinian UN agenda, the following video is instructive:
The League of Nations (precursor to the UN) resolved to recognize "the historical connection of the Jewish people with Palestine (aka:ancient Israel) and the grounds for reconstituting their national home in that country." No such recognition of Arab-National rights in Palestine nor in Jerusalem was granted. WWI allied powers at San Remo(1920) confirmed the Balfour Declaration to create a Jewish national home in Palestiine (which includes all territory in present day Jordan and Israel). The San Remo conference resolutions (1922), confirmed unanimously by the League of Nations, granted the Arabs living in the Holy Land individual civil and religious rights - but specifically excluded arab national political rights to Israel. Calling for "the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people"-Only.
In 1950, the State of Israel declared West Jerusalem as its capital - something no other people or nation, historically, has ever done since the times of ancient Israel. Jerusalem has had a Jewish majority for nearly 150 years. In 1864, 15,000 people lived in Jerusalem, including 8,000 Jews, half as many Muslims of various origins, and approximately 2,500 Christians. By 1914, the city was mostly Jewish: 45,000 Jews and 20,000 non-Jews of various ethnic backgrounds ( See: Turkish census of 1893). In "the 1931 census, at least 23 different languages were reported in use by "Moslems"…the non-Jews in Palestine in 1931 listed as their "birthplaces" at least 24 different countries,"- J. Peters, From Time Immemorial. Due to laws restricting Jewish immigration, concurrent with open immigration for Arabs through the first half of the 20th century, the Jewish majority was substantially reduced both in Jerusalem and in (Palestine)Israel proper.
