Why has Jerusalem’s status as Israel’s capital not received wide international recognition?

The international community’s limited recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital stems from the city’s complex history and its status as a focal point of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Following the 1947 United Nations partition plan, which proposed that Jerusalem be established as a corpus separatum (a "separate entity") under international administration, the city remained a contested territory. After Israel declared Jerusalem its capital in 1949, the move was not recognized by the Great Powers.123

The status of the city became further complicated after 1967, when Israel captured East Jerusalem and extended its jurisdiction over the entire city. Most countries consider East Jerusalem to be occupied territory, and the Palestinian Arabs claim it as the capital of a future Palestinian state.12

In 1980, after Israel passed a basic law reaffirming a unified Jerusalem as its capital, UN Resolution 478 called on member states to withdraw their diplomatic missions from the city. Consequently, most nations maintain their embassies in the Tel Aviv–Yafo area, reflecting the international consensus that the city's final status should be resolved through negotiations.4