Jerusalem exists as a settlement for more than 3000 years, and Jews lived in Jerusalem almost 2500 years. It was their main city - capital of Judea. And it was capital of Jerusalem kingdom of crusaders for 2 centuries in Early Middle Ages. It has never been capital of any other nation or ethnic group other than Jews and those Christians crusaders. Since the time Ottoman empire possessed it it was a small city forgotten by everybody except Christian monks and pilgrims and religious Jews.