Religious rivalry

Religious rivalry

Israel
jerousalem
Temple Mount site

Five minutes walk separate the sparkling golden Dome of The Rock-one of the oldest works of islamic architecture- from The Western Wall, an ancient lime stone wall in the old city of Jerusalem, on the site of The Temple Mount regarded as the Holiest site for the Jews. And yet, these five minutes extend into centuries of religious rivalry, bloody wars, fundamentalistic obsessions and terroristic atrocities.Muslims consider The Rock as the site from where Muhammad ascended to heaven accompanied by the angel Gabriel. Jews consider it as the site where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac.Muslims in The Rock pray towards The Kaaba stone in Mecca and keep the place not accessible to Jews. Jews pray bowing and swaying in front of the Western Wall touching the stone with their front. Virtually they weep for the destruction of The Temple. (The term Wailing Wall was only used by the Christians and was revived in the period of non Jewish control between the Brittish rule in 1920 and the six day war in 1967.. It is rejected and never used by the Jews.
History is a melting pot where events of reality can turn into precious pearls of experience and advise for descendants but, unfortunately, very often can give birth to obsessions, misbeleifs and hate that not only divide but also eliminate( recent events of Jihads in Palmyra).

Ironicaly, in the flow of history,even adverse monuments built side by side reconciliate and make friendships as easily as books on the library shelves. Fanatism, malice and vindictiveness remain vivid only in people's mind that cannot accept the principle fact that different religions, origins, colors and traditions should also be respected and free.