Jerusalem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Jerusalem - Essay Example Obviously entry to Jerusalem is the privilege of Palestinians and Christians alike because their religious beliefs are also highly associated with this Holy Land. Christianity emerged from Judaism around 4 B.C. since the birth of Jesus Christ who was born and brought up as a true Jew. In the same way, Muslims believe that Mohammad ascended into heaven at al-Haran-al-Sharif which also is one of the areas of current dispute. Irrespective of the discrepancy, Israel permits all religious beliefs to be cherished in Jerusalem. The Prime Minister Benchamin Netanyahu (2009) expressed the Israel policy on this issue in his address on the occasion of Jerusalem Day State Ceremony. â€Å"United Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. Jerusalem has always been-and always will be-ours. It will never again be divided or cut in half. Jerusalem will remain only under Israel’s sovereignty. In the united Jerusalem, the freedom of worship and freedom of access for all three religions to the holy sites will be guaranteed, and it is the only way to guarantee that members of all faiths, minorities, and denominations can continue living here safely.† (Prime Minister’s Office). To illustrate, in 1947 when the United Nations established two states in Palestine, one Jewish and other Arab Jerusalem was considered as Independent international city. However, in 1948 the Arabs attacked Jewish sector of Jerusalem but Israel force gained upper hand in the battle. In 1948, when the modern state Israel was established, Jews were persecuted and expelled from the Old City. (Ullian K,2008 p.110). It was later in the Six Day War of 1967 Jerusalem was reunited by the Israel. Jerusalem is safe under the sovereignty of Israel because everyday hundreds of pilgrims and tourists from all over the world visit Jerusalem. Moreover, this secularism will only be maintained as long as the City remains under the control of Israel. For instance, although the Temple

The Fourth Crusade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Fourth Crusade - Essay Example [The crusades. New York: Cosmopolitan book corporation, 1929.] The mission of beginning a new crusade had become a life-task to Pope Innocent III. After the death of Richard the Lionheart, the Pope lost all hope in getting a trustworthy monarch to lead the holy war. Almost immediately upon being elected pope, Innocent III decided that the papacy itself should assume the leadership of the next Crusade. He issued his crusading letter in August of 1198, sending it to all the archbishops of the West. He directed the call to arms not to kings and emperors, but to counts and barons and even to cities. The archbishops and bishops of the Church were likewise to contribute soldiers, or an equivalent amount in money.["The Fourth Crusade ", Vol 3:1, (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania] In 1198 he called for a new Crusade, which was largely ignored among European leaders. The Germans were struggling against Papal power, and England and France were still engaged in warfare against each other. The tone of the encyclical makes it clear that Innocent believed the Church itself was the true leader of the Crusades. Even so, he wrote separately to the kings of France and England, ordering them to cease their war. Not, you will note, that they should go on crusade themselves, but only that their quarrel should not interfere with the raising of troops and money for the Crusade. He likewise sent a papal legate to try to persuade Genoa and Pisa to make a truce between them, for much the same reasons, except that he wanted the Pisans and Genoese to participate in the Crusade.However, due to the preaching of Fulk of Neuilly, a crusading army was finally organized at a tournament held at Ecry by Count Thibaud of Champagne in 1199. Thibaud was elected leader, but he died in 1200 and was replaced by an Italian count, Boniface of Montferrat. Boniface and the other leaders sent envoys to Venice, Genoa, and other city-states to negotiate a contract for transport to Egypt, the object of their crusade; one of the envoys was the historian Geoffrey of Villehardouin. [Donald Queller: The Fourth Crusade, and bibliography in Jonathan Riley-Smith, The Crusades.] Preparation for the Crusade Genoa was uninterested but Venice agreed to transport 33,500 crusaders (as well as 4,500 horses), a very ambitious number. This agreement required a full year of preparation on the part of the city of Venice to build numerous ships and train the sailors that would man them, all the while curtailing the city's commercial activities. The majority of the crusading army that set out from Venice in October 1202 originated from areas within France. It included men from Blois, Champagne, Amiens, Saint-Pol, the Ile-de-France and Burgundy. However, several other regions of Europe sent substantial contingents as well, such as count Flanders and Marquis Boniface of Montferrat from northern Italy. Other notable groups came from the German Empire, including the men under Bishop Martin of Pairis and Bishop Conrad of Halberstadt together in alliance with the Venetian soldiers and sailors led by the Doge Enrico Dandolo.[ Queller, Donald E. "The Fourth Crusade: The Neglected Majority] Attack on Zara Since there was no binding agreement amongst the crusaders that all should sail from Venice, many