Struggle for holy site

This boy was celebrating his Bar Mitzvah at the Western Wall. He had his first Bar Mitzvah in the U.S. a month ago, but now he’s come to Israel on a family trip and the family is celebrating again. His father who runs a private equity firm says this time is even better. The boy too seems to connect with the history of the place. This is both an Jewish and Muslim shrine. Israel controls the Western Wall and the Muslim Trust is in charge of the al-Aqsa Mosque above. Each site is suspicious of the others’ intention. In 2000, then-opposition leader Ariel Sharon toured the area the Jews call the Temple Mount and Muslims consider a site only acceptable for Muslims. His visit sparked riots, which the Israeli Army suppressed and killed 7 protesters in the process. That started what became known as the Second Intifadah which then resulted in suicide bombings across Israel and Israel’s occupation of the West Bank. This Muslim tour guide says he prays at the al-Aqsa Mosque three times a day and during Ramadan there can be more than 100,000 Muslims at the site. He says this tiny piece of land is the crux of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Some Jews believe that a third temple will be built on the same site. This Rabbi says he doesn’t support violence and thinks all holy sites already there should remain. Jews like him hope that God or man will choose to build another temple at the site. Many in the international community worry that such actions would lead to another holy war.