Temple Mount | Israel

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The Temple Mount, known to Muslims as el-Harem al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary) with its golden Dome of the Rock Islamic shrine and lead-domed al-Aqsa mosque, dominates this aerial view of the Old City of Jerusalem.

The UN's cultural agency Unesco has adopted a motion which marginalises Jewish ties to several holy sites in Jerusalem: the Temple Mount and the Western Wall.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the resolution, sponsored by several Arab countries, denies the Jewish connection to holy sites in Jerusalem and is a "theatre of the absurd".

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Tel Aviv | תֵּל־אָבִיב capital of Israel

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What makes a city a capital city? The city or town that functions as the seat of government and administrative centre of a country or region is the capital city.

Israel refers to Jerusalem as the country's capital, and seats its government (Knesset) in that city. But the international community does not recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, and the city hosts no foreign embassies. Most countries, as well as the United Nations, recognize nearby Tel Aviv.

The Palestinian National Authority also claims Jerusalem as the capital for their future Palestinian state; but currently the de facto seat of the internationally-recognized Palestinian government is in Ramallah, while the seat of the Hamas-led government is in Gaza City.

Stamps

(left) In 2011 Israel issued a set of 6 stamps about butterflies of Israel. This one pictures the Common Blue.

(right) Dating back to ancient times Jews have used an Etrog box during Sukkot, the Festival of Booths, to store the Etrog fruit, an oval shaped citron fruit. 

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Wilson's Arch, Jerusalem, Israel

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The Wilson’s Arch in Jerusalem is is the modern name for an ancient stone arch that was part of a series of arches that supported a bridge that connected the Temple Mount and the Upper City. It was named after the British explorer Charles William Wilson, who identified the arch in 1864. 

Today Wilson’s Arch serves as a synagogue and contains many Torah Scrolls used for Bar-Mitzvah’s, weekday and Shabbat services. Wilson’s Arch is located near the Western Wall, also known as Wailing Wall, one of the holiest places for Jews.

Stamps

In 2011 Israel issued a set of 6 stamps about butterflies of Israel. On the left a Swallowtail and on the right a Plain Tiger.

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Jerusalem in moonlight

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Israelis and Palestinians both claim Jerusalem as their capital. Israel designated Jerusalem as its capital in 1950, yet most countries maintain their embassies in Tel Aviv due to ongoing political debate with the Palestinians.

At Jerusalem’s heart is the Old City, which is surrounded by a wall and divided into four quarters - Jewish, Armenian, Christian, and Muslim. Inside the walls are the important holy sites of the three major religions: the Western Wall, which is holy to the Jews, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount. 

The Dome of the Rock, whose golden roof has dominated the Temple Mount for centuries, is a 7th-century shrine. The rock refers to the Foundation Stone at the heart of the Dome. It is a holy place for Muslims.

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A fishermen's harbour from Jaffa, Israel

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The town of Jaffa has been a port since the times of Jonah and before. Today the picturesque port and old city lie on the southern side of modern Tel Aviv.

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