JERUSALEM

Author: Danilo Mercanti
Multimedia: Stefano Abbadessa Mercanti

.he had excellent motives, David for pointing to the conquest of Jerusalem. The city was neither rich not powerful, it was far from communication, didn't hold any particular historical importance but it was an excellent military fortress and it was the last still in the hands of the enemy. Taking possession would have re - enforced his fame of undefeated leader and his noble authority recognised by all the tribes of his people; not belonging to any, no-one would have been which city he made capital.

When King David set his eyes on the city, its believed in 996 AC according to ancient historical testimony, Jerusalem was already thousands of years old; according to archaeological finds the area had been inhabited long before V millennium ( this was discovered by the camp digs in 1978 / 1982, recuperating typical craters and other church objects of this period)..
This is what Robert Brunelli writes in his 'History of Jerusalem' as regards the origins of the city, in Hebrew Ir, 'city' and shalom, 'peace' that is 'city of peace'. In the city, in its history and its construction we can perceive, in spite of the inauspicious information that circulated on a daily basis from the strong aversion that the humans regurgitate regarding numerous defenceless victims, the attitude of being a light, a propagator of light for peace in the world. From the past to the present, towards the future its walls 'speak of peace'. It's up to mankind to acquire the capacity, the sensibility to be able to tune in to the unheard voices that emerge from the city of peace.

Its symbols, three mentioned in this small space, talk about the peaceful cohabitation between people: the Muro del Pianto, (Wall of Tears) has gathered during the centuries the moans and tears of the Jewish people for the misfortune and the violence's endured; the sacred tomb holds the earthly remains of the Christian Redeemer and the grand Mosque of Omar that dominates with its marvellous golden dome the ruins of the temple destroyed by the Romans in 70 AC from where the prophet Maometto rose to Heaven, according to the Moslem tradition.