Five Provocative Propositions Regarding Jerusalem

And One Daring Vista of Future Peace

 

Once these propositions are taken seriously, they will cease to be provocations – and then there can be peace.

 

 

1. Proposition: The antecedents in antiquity – an evitable catastrophe

The Romans, the ruling power of that era, were tolerant in religious matters, they even financed a gorgeous embellishment of the Jewish Temple, but after decades of an escalating Jewish liberation struggle, they destroyed the Temple only nine decades after its reconstruction and finally they even drove the Jews off their Promised Land.

 

2. Proposition: Jerusalem under Muslim rule – the Temple remains an unfulfilled dream

After the Muslims conquered Jerusalem they built a Muslim sanctuary on top of the Temple Mount – and the Jews were again left without a Temple. Under Sharia, Islamic law, the Jews are not allowed to reconstruct their Temple, or to build a state of their own in their former homeland.

 

3. Proposition: The dogma of secularism is handicapping the West

Dogmatic secularism causes Western politicians to exclude religion from their terms of reference. Thus they have, at best, only negative influence in matters where religion determines politics.

 

4. Proposition: An evolution of Sharia is prerequisite to peace

Being a non-Islamic state within the realm of Islam, Israel is, according to Sharia, subject to the status of Dhimmi, which is a status of subordination. From an Islamic point of view, Israel cannot therefore be recognized as an independent state – and no peace agreement with it could be regarded as permanent. If in this matter Sharia were, however, to refer to the authority of Suras 2,257 and 5,48, which state that in matters of faith there must be no coercion, but competition in virtue, Israel could be regarded as an equal.  Before such an evolved view of Sharia could take effect, its integrity would nevertheless need to be acknowledged by a worldwide conference of Islamic scholars.

                                                                                                                                         

5. Proposition: The Jewish contribution: not to reduce non-Jews to a Dhimmi-status

If Jews expect such responsiveness from Muslims they themselves must not subject believers from other religions to any kind of Dhimmi-status

 

6. A Daring Vista: Muslims propose the solution

Muslims allow Jews to construct the Holy of Holies of a New Temple suspended in the space above the Holy of Holies of the former Temple. The rest of the required Temple structures should act as a bridge to the Holy Sepulcher – linking one of the holiest places of Islam with the central shrine of Christianity, and generating, without any intermixture, the one magnificent Abrahamic sanctuary, which will be the seal of lasting peace between the three religions.