ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the history and holiness of the Temple Mount/Al-Haram al-Sharif (TM/HS) to the various stakeholders and examines the post-1967 conflict and mitigation over the TM/HS. It analyzes the tacit Israeli–Jordanian–Palestinian arrangements between 1967 and 1996 and the situation following the collapse of the post-1967 modus vivendi. The TM is the central holiest place in Judaism. It is identified with biblical Mount Moriah, the site at which Abraham offered his son Isaac in sacrifice. In June 1967, the State of Israel conquered East Jerusalem, including the Old City, HS, and other Muslim holy sites, in the Six Day War. It was a traumatic event for Palestinians and Muslims worldwide. The Waqf, Arab governments, and Islamic organizations expressed concern about the physical consequences of the archeological excavations conducted to the south and west of the TM/HS and the excavation of the tunnel along the Western Wall.
