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Muslims should be able to agree that the path of peace is to respect the site of the Temple once built by Solomon, the world-famous king who is equally respected by Muslims, Jews and Christians alike (while the later Umayyad dynasty, which began occupation of the Temple site, has been very little respected even by Muslims themselves). It should be in the common interests of the three Abrahamic religions to heal the wounds of historical injustice and proclaim an end to the era of war between religions, by relocating the controversial Umayyad mosque to another suitable place in Jerusalem, such as the spacious Damascus Square in front of the Damascus Gate (which is 20 meters higher than the Temple Mount, and there is direct visibility between the Temple Mount and Damascus Square). The memory and history of the ancient kings and prophets (who are considered holy in Islam, Judaism and Christianity) should be respected by rebuilding the Temple of Jerusalem, in such a design that it serves the Muslim audience in a similar way as the current building on the site (having an open floor, through which can be seen the capstone of the mountain), also serving Jewish and Christian pilgrims as a memorial of how this holy site once looked like. The building should be equally available for religious services of the three Abrahamic religions, according to a daily or hourly schedule.
Map: proposed walled area of the Vatican-style microstate of Jerusalem Old City. (The current walls, shown in dark red, would be extended to the historical areas in the south and in the north.) The proposed relocation site of the Umayyad Mosque is to the west of Damascus Gate, in a beautiful and spacious area now occupied by streets and parking lots. Maps and photos are available at |
