Whose Holy City?: Jerusalem and the Future of Peace in the Middle East

Three religions have fought over Jerusalem for centuries.Jews honor Jerusalem because its Temple housed the presence of God. Christians come to Jerusalem to worship where Jesus Christ was crucified and raised from the dead. Muslims value the city because of its role in 1,400 years of Islamic history. All three religions feel a strong spiritual attachment to the city and desire unrestricted access to it. Who, though, should have sovereignty? Who should have political control? And who should claim ownership of the Old City, where the most sacred of sites are located?In Whose Holy City? Colin Chapman assesses the centrality of Jerusalem in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, traces the city's history from Old Testament times to the contemporary scene, and shows how the issues of the past are relevant today. Jerusalem is regarded by many as a key, if not the key, to peace in the Middle East. If Jerusalem could be addressed and resolved in a way that is acceptable to the majority on both sides, it might point the way to a resolution of the whole conflict.Colin Chapman was formerly a lecturer in Islamic Studies at the Near East School of Theology in Beirut, Lebanon. He has lived and worked in the Middle East for almost twenty years and is the author of several books, including Christianity on Trial and Whose Promised Land?Chapman, Colin Gilbert is the author of 'Whose Holy City?: Jerusalem and the Future of Peace in the Middle East' with ISBN 9780801065569 and ISBN 0801065569.