This uniquely and deeply revered religious site in the eastern sector of Jerusalemâ??s Old City is called the Temple Mount by Jews and the Haram al-Sharif (â??Noble Sanctuaryâ?) by Muslims. Smithsonian magazine says this tract â??has seen more momentous historical events than perhaps any other 35 acres in the world,â? while The Economist magazine considers it â??one of the worldâ??s most explosive bits of real estate.â?
That second assertion has been amply underscored in recent months. An expert at the U.S. Institute of Peace tells huffingtonpost.com that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict â??has developed a religious character that was not as explicit in the past.â? This has been the most troublesome period for the holy site since 2000 when Ariel Sharon, campaigning to be Israelâ??s prime minister, boldly entered the area with a large entourage and sparked the Palestiniansâ?? second intifada.
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