A-Z of the Holy Land Woolf Institute

Can Zion prove to itself and to the world that it is capable of being a holy site to all?

For Jews, Christians and Muslims, Jerusalem represents the divine–human encounter, linking heaven and earth.

Is the Jewish state’s right to exist legitimised – or illegitimated – by stones or pottery from 3000 years ago?

Words have power. They can build or destroy, heal or harm.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict therefore is not just about solving disagreement but rather who has the God-given right to this land. Religious faith not only easily leads to exclusive claims but can also inspire self-sacrifice.

The rivalry of two nationalisms – Jewish and Palestinian – was set in motion well before then but despite the UN’s involvement, they have continued, unabated, to this day.