Jerusalem key to Mideast peace
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The interlinked history of four countries (Israel, Iran, Syria and Afghanistan) lies at the forefront of conflict in the restive Middle East, making the elusive quest for peaceful coexistence a formidable political minefield.
Before the First World War, western Asia remained a largely ignored unknown. Now, some 100 years later, the frenetic pace of change has caught up and overtaken the world’s oil-rich, trigger-happy region, a volatile tinderbox full of sectarian, nationalistic, socio-political and cross-cultural strife.
The key element for Jerusalem lies in the city’s centrality as a spiritual, cultural and political symbol for three great faiths – Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The Western name derives from the Hebrew Yerushalayim (City of Peace). In Arabic it is known as al-Quds (the Noble Holy Place) or Bayt al-Maqdis (the House of Sanctity). A shift inIsrael’s non-negotiable position must happen before meaningful dialogue regarding Jerusalem’s status as a future shared capital can start, only if facilitated by a fair-minded international coalition.
Charles Frederickson
Bangkok
