The Middle East is the birthplace of three world religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, illustrates this religious variety with its numerous sites that are sacred to Jews, Christians, and Muslims. For example, Muslims believe that a mosque-like structure atop a stony outcropping at the center of the city—the Dome of the Rock—commemorates the place from which the prophet Muhammad ascended into heaven.This same spot is also referred to as the Temple Mount— the site of the first and second Jewish temples and the place where some Jews and Christians believe that a third temple must be built to usher in the reign of God. These rival interpretations of geography, many argue, reflect the lack of consensus and compromise that has brought political instability and war to Israel...