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Passions that shape life in Jerusalem "The Middle East conflict cannot be solved without resolving the issue of Jerusalem, but how does this intense political and religious climate affect the lives of the people who live in the city? Politically and spiritually, Jerusalem is unique. Holy to three great faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the Old City is also perhaps one of the most fought over square kilometres on earth. At its heart is the platform that Jews call the Temple Mount and Muslims call the Haram-al-Sharif. The area is dominated by the famous golden roof of the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque, the third most important site in Islam. The Mount was also originally home to the Temple of Solomon, which the Bible records as the first Jewish temple in Jerusalem. A few hundred metres away is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, traditionally said to have been founded by Helena, the mother of the Emperor Constantine who converted Rome to Christianity. As well as religious sites, they are potent symbols of the rich layers of history and peoples running through the city…" For Mr Lourier, settling more Jews in Jerusalem is part of a process of redemption for the city and for the Jewish people. "We're moving forward, there is a greater Jewish presence, more Jewish life and a greater adherence to Jewish tradition," he says… The culmination of that process would be the restoration of the Temple of Solomon on Temple Mount. But he sees that as a very long-term goal. He says it couldn't happen while there was an Arab majority in East Jerusalem or until there was peace in the Middle East. "Most, if not all, religious Jews, believing and wanting the Temple and knowing that it will be rebuilt, also recognise that the redemption process may take 100 years or 200 years," he says. But he also recognises the site's significance to others. "One has to respect that the Dome of the Rock has existed for 1300 years and it is there. I understand and respect that al-Aqsa exists and the Dome of the Rock. It's a tragedy that the Arab world doesn't respect where I'm coming from."
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Israel