Before the gates of the Dome of the Rock, a resplendent golden Muslim shrine built on the ruins of what Jews believe was their biblical temple, the be-suited deputy speaker of Israel's parliament, Moshe Feiglin, this week swayed from side to side in solemn prayer. On the steps below, his acolytes explained that, in doing so, Israel was reclaiming the last and most important acre of Jerusalem. They dreamed that Jews would soon resume animal sacrifices. "Remove all Muslims," pronounced the firebrand parliamentarian. It would be easy to dismiss Mr Feiglin and his backers as delusional were they not inexorably changing the status quo on the world's most contentious corner of real estate. Trouble over holy sites has sparked more than one revolt in Palestine's history.
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