Jerusalem

[July 2009]By focusing on the city of Jerusalem, the author manages to present the history of three religions and thousand of years of human development in a relatively brief narrative. The focus on the events on the city helps to present a clear understanding of the actions of the people, without distracting with too many distracting external details.

The narrative starts with the pre-Jewish occupants, and acknowledges that Jerusalem has always been somewhat off the beaten path. However, ever since it became a holy city to the Jews, it has had a degree of sacredness that made it attractive to Jews, Muslims and Christians.
For the past 1500 years, the western Christians are presented as the outside force most harmful to the peace in Jerusalem, with the Eastern Christians and Jews being most often victimized. The Muslims were often the rulers of the city, generally being the most peaceable of the overloads, though often even neglecting the city.