Egypt Permits Pilgrims to Cross Back Into Gaza | January 03, 2008

This NYTimes article provides an important icon for anyone invested in the prospects of peace in the Holy Land.

In many ways the dynamics harken to the enduring problem of Jerusalem, particularly the pilgrimage site Masjid Al Aqsa.

The religious rite of pilgrimage, when contaminated by religio-political elements including violence and security, make for a very complex set of elements and dynamics.

The Haj takes the same elements beyond Israel's jurisdiction into tense international relations with Muslim-state neighbors.

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