The Old City in Jerusalem is a walled area within modern-day Jerusalem and holds immense religious gravity for Jews, Muslims and Christians. It’s divided into four quarters, with the Muslim quarter being the largest and most populous of them all. 

Jerusalem, before being captured by King David, was occupied by a Canaanite tribe called the Jebusites, and the city itself was called Jebus, not Jerusalem. This tribe put up heavy walls around the city and fortified it so that it became impregnable. However, the water of the city was derived from a nearby spring so pipelines were built connecting the city to the spring outside and it is through these pipes that David’s general entered the city and conquered it. This incident is also mentioned in the Book of Samuel and the Book of Chronicles

[Editor's note: As I write this article, my wife and I are watching the excellent 1960 film "Exodus" starring Paul Newman.  The movie, based on Leon Uris' novel of the same name, weaves a fascinating tale of life for Jewish immigrants in post World War 2, attempting to settle in the land at the time known as Palestine.   This article is only a brief summary of the timeline of events and facts, as a starting point for further discussion and research.  I welcome any feedback in the comments section, and will be revisiting this topic in the future!]