In late January 2011, several videos circulated online purporting to show a bright object descending toward the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, hovering, and then rapidly shooting upward. The clips attracted international media attention because some appeared to show the same event from different viewpoints. Subsequent scrutiny, including a skeptical analysis by Live Science and an Israeli television investigation reported in September 2011, raised substantial doubts about the footage. The incident is best documented as a prominent disputed UFO-video case, not as verified evidence of an anomalous craft.
The Jerusalem UFO videos emerged online at the end of January 2011. According to the original video descriptions, the event occurred at approximately 1 a.m. on January 28, with observers at or near the Armon Hanatziv lookout watching a luminous object apparently descend toward the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount. The object appeared to hover before rapidly ascending and disappearing. Multiple clips were circulated as separate views of the same event, helping the story gain international attention. CBS News reported on the videos on February 3, 2011. A skeptical analysis published by Live Science in February argued that the footage showed signs of fabrication. In September 2011, OpenMinds reported on an Israeli Channel 10 investigation by Nitay Elboim, which identified connections between people associated with two of the videos, including filmmaker Eligael Gadlyovich and film teacher Golan Ardiv. The investigation concluded that the videos were not authentic, although the motive behind the alleged hoax was not established. The available reporting gives strong reason to treat the videos as suspected fabrications. The precise origin and authenticity of every clip circulated under the Jerusalem UFO label should nevertheless be assessed individually, rather than assuming all uploads share the same provenance.
| Date: | 2011-01-28 |
| Location: | Armon Hanatziv Lookout / Old City of Jerusalem |
| Country: | Israel |
| Category: | UFO Video |
| Credibility: | Disputed |