Contested holiness : Jewish, Muslim, and Christian perspective on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem / Rivka Gonen

Includes bibliographical references (pages 179-189) and index

Ch. 1. Laying the Foundation for the Third Temple -- Ch. 2. The Temple Mount: Location, History, and Contemporary Features -- Where Is the Temple Mount? -- A Short Historical Background -- The Temple Mount Today -- The Lower Platform -- The Underground Level -- Ch. 3. Locating Holiness -- How Does a Place Become Holy? -- Choosing the Temple Location -- What Was the Exact Site of the Temple? -- Ch. 4. Contesting Shrines -- The First Temple -- The Second Temple -- The Temple Mount Under Pagans and Christians -- The Revival of the Temple Mount Under the Muslims -- The Crusaders on the Temple Mount -- The Return of the Muslims -- Ch. 5. Legends, Beliefs, and Aspirations Regarding the Temple Mount -- The Temple Mount as a Locus of Legend -- Jewish Myths and Legends -- Christian Myths and Legends -- Muslim Myths and Legends -- Ch. 6. A Century of National-Religious Conflict Between Jews and Arab -- The Conflict in the Ottoman Period -- Jews and Arabs under British Mandate, 1920-1948 -- The 1948 War and Its Consequences -- Ch. 7. The Present Conflict -- The Six-Day War and Its Aftermath -- The Status Quo -- Jordan's Position on the Temple Mount -- The Issue of Jewish Prayer on the Temple Mount -- Should a Synagogue Be Built on the Temple Mount? -- Attempts to Destroy the Temple Mount -- Preparations to Build the Third Temple -- Archaeological Excavations Around the Temple Mount -- Muslim Activities on the Temple Mount -- Proposals for Settling the Conflict over the Holy Sites.

"The book leads the reader into the intricate history, geography, and politics of this unique site. It relates the roots of its holiness, describes the succession of temples built on it, and explains how in the twentieth century its sanctity became intertwined with the national aspirations of both Jews and Arabs. It explains why the Temple Mount is considered the holiest site for the Jews, and how it became holy also to the Muslims. The book also explores the role of evangelical Christians, who, alongside a segment of the Jewish population, see the Temple Mount as the center of messianic aspirations, fed by the myriad of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legends and myths which evolved around it. The book is richly illustrated with photographs, sketches, maps, and plans."--BOOK JACKET.