ABSTRACT
The structure and policies put into place for the management and protection of the holy sites in the Old City will be the key issue by which the proposed special regime/arrangements for the Old City will be judged. An important prerequisite in establishing a framework is for the special regime/arrangements to adopt a definition of holy sites which is clear but flexible. The history of religious disputes spilling over into the political arena and triggering serious violence has been outlined by al-Jubeh and Seidemann. These disputes point to a number of underlying issues that any new security and management framework of the holy sites needs to address. The Council of Religious Institutions of the Holy Land can play an important role in ensuring that the objectives of a holy site management framework in the Old City are met. The purpose of the Commission is to address the ongoing disputes over holy sites between the religious communities.
