Dome of the Rock (Skalní dóm) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Temple Mount has been the focus of a surge in deadly violence in recent weeks, with Israelis and Palestinians casting blame on one another for fueling the unrest that has gripped Jerusalem, the city holy to the world’s three major monotheistic religions.
The renewed conflict has raised some important questions: Why is the site so significant, why has it been a flashpoint for violence, and what impact could it have on the prospects for peace in the volatile region?
The Temple Mount is the holiest site in Judaism. The earliest association with the site’s holiness can be found in Genesis 22, when Abraham nearly sacrifices his son Isaac at God’s command. Genesis 22:2 refers to the site being in the area of Mount Moriah. Later, when the Jews built the First Temple and then the Second Temple, they chose to build there as the place God had spoken to Abraham. The site also housed the Holy of Holies, where the Ark of the Covenant stood as the earthly home for the divine presence.
For Muslims, the Temple Mount site is known as the Haram al-Sharif, or the Noble Sanctuary, and is considered the third-holiest site in Islam, after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. It is where Muslims believe the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven and houses the Dome of the Rock shrine and Al-Aqsa mosque. MORE