The site is also the location of the first and second Temples and the spot where many Jewish prophets taught. Christians also believe the site is significant to their faith. Because it has religious and historical implications, occupation of the Temple Mount has been the cause of bitter conflict for centuries, especially between Jews and Muslims living nearby.
But today, the Islamic Waqf governs what happens inside the compound, while Israeli forces control external security. In A. During the Crusades , the Christians turned the landmark into a church.
In , Muslims recaptured the Dome of the Rock and re-designated it as a shrine. Both structures are considered holy to Muslims. The Western Wall is a section of ancient remnant wall from the second Jewish Temple. Each year, millions of Jews from around the world visit the wall.
Because Muslims control the Temple Mount the true site of the ancient Temples , the Western Wall is considered the holiest place where Jews can pray. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built in A. Thousands of Christian pilgrims from around the world travel to this church each year. Many regard it as the holiest Christian site in the world.
Jewish law forbids Jews from praying in the Temple Mount. Yet, Israeli forces allow hundreds of Jewish settlers to enter the area routinely, which some Palestinians fear could lead to an Israeli takeover. In recent years, some Israeli groups have even announced a plan to construct a third Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount.
This proposal has outraged Palestinians living in the region. In May , the Palestinian group Hamas presented a document that proposed the formation of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
However, the group refused to recognize Israel as a state, and the Israeli government immediately rejected the idea. Today, tensions are still high in and around the city of Jerusalem. Confrontations between Israeli forces and Palestinians are commonplace.
Many international groups and countries support efforts to divide Jerusalem into Israeli and Palestinian sections. But, securing a plan that everyone agrees on is difficult. For security reasons, the compound was cleared of visitors and closed for Muslim Friday prayers for the first time in 17 years. Protests and violent acts have shadowed this precarious situation.
Why is Jerusalem important? The Guardian. History of Jerusalem: Timeline for the History of Jerusalem. Jewish Virtual Library. Brief history of Jerusalem. The Bible says the last Canaanites to rule the city were the Jebusites. He was warned that "even the blind and the lame can ward you off," the Bible says.
He named his conquest The City of David and made it the capital of his new realm. The Bible says the Israelites also fought many wars against another Canaanite tribe called the Philistines who lived along the southern coastline.
The Jews built the Second Temple. Men should cover their heads there are paper kippahs available , and women should wear modest clothing. It is customary to place a small prayer on a piece of paper within a crack on the wall. Amazingly, the vast Western Wall represents just a tiny percentage of this elevation of the Temple. The Western Wall Tunnels, accessed via the plaza, allow visitors to see even more of the wall underground.
The Muslim Quarter is a huge contrast to the Jewish Quarter. Its streets are busier and more crowded, with vendors — especially within the famous Shuk — selling all varieties of products. In contrast to the other quarters where shops are generally selling religious or tourist-appealing products, here the Shuk is literally an ancient shopping mall in the 21st century where one can practice their bartering skills and buy almost anything imaginable.
As in the Jewish Quarter , and the rest of the Old City, tourists wandering the streets of the Muslim Quarter find it hard to imagine how the locals go about their everyday business so normally in what is such an intense place.
Kids play in the street, and men sit out in cafes smoking nargila hookah or shisha. This is where the wall is once again exposed and visible. While non-Muslims are not allowed to enter the building itself, tourists are able to tour the compound and nearby Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Home to about 40 holy sites to Christians, in the streets here you will see priests and pilgrims from around the world.
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