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Saturday 22 November 2008

Armageddon is up the road

Paul Wood visits the Holy Land

Of course, Jerusalem is holy not only to Christianity but to Judaism and Islam too. If you walk the Old City walls from Jaffa Gate, as the battlements curve around, you glimpse the brilliant gold of the Dome of the Rock, the 7th-century Islamic shrine enclosing the place from which Muslims believe Mohammed ascended to heaven accompanied by the angel Gabriel.

(Once there, according to one of the most touching stories of Muslim tradition, he was instructed by God to pray 50 times a day. Moses, who was waiting nearby, thought this was excessive and told him to go back and negotiate a smaller number. This happened many times until the number five was reached. Mohammed was too embarrassed to go back again, and so Muslims say five prayers daily today.)

For religious Jews, the large, rough lump of rock beneath the dome is the foundation stone of the world, the place where Adam was formed, where Abraham was called upon to sacrifice his son. The building of a new Jewish temple here will herald the messiah’s arrival.

I once interviewed a former member of the Jewish underground who tried to hasten Judgment Day by blowing up the Dome of the Rock and the nearby al Aqsa mosque, after which the current Palestinian uprising is named. Most observant Jews, though, are content to wait for divine providence (specifically for the advent of a red heifer, a cow with no single white hair, the remains of which will be used to purify those who wish to enter the Temple Mount, thereby allowing construction to begin.) Until then, people have to satisfy themselves with prayer at the Kotel, the Western Wall of the Temple Mount.

Seeing the faithful there is one of the most moving sights in the Old City. There are usually clumps of soldiers with M16s slung over their backs, and Orthodox Haredim in black frock coats, all with heads bowed, rocking back and forth close to the wall. Prayers are also written on pieces of paper and inserted between the great stones. A few yards away is the entrance to the tunnels which take you on a journey down through layer upon layer of the Old City’s history.

More articles from: Lucy Fleming | this section

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