Old City sparks

Middle East | Clashes over Jerusalem’s holy sites won’t cover rifts in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations | Jill Nelson

The intensity of Jerusalem's Old City landscape stirs the soul of those who enter its gates. The glistening gold of the Muslim Dome of the Rock shines from its perch on the Temple Mount while the Western Wall, which supports the plaza, draws flocks of Jewish worshippers to pray—the closest they can get to where the temple once stood. The 35-acre compound, known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as the Temple Mount, is believed to be the most contested piece of real estate in the world. Even the slightest alteration, religious faux pas, or addition to its structures can ignite a fire of protest across the city and the Middle East.

Earlier this month tempers flared and Palestinian stone-throwers clashed with Israeli troops who had to use tear gas to clear protesters from the area. Dozens of both troops and Palestinians were injured. The latest skirmishes center around a decrepit, centuries-old walkway leading to the Mugrabi Gate—the only entrance to the Temple Mount where non-Muslims are granted access.