Jerusalem is bitterly divided. It longs for its Prince of Peace to return

The Old City of Jerusalem contains within its walls thousands of years of religious conflict. Ahead of the first anniversary of the Hamas terror attack, George Pitcher reflects on the city where everyone prays, but where peace still seems elusive  

Some 15 years ago, in the Old City of Jerusalem, a woman I didn’t know pressed a simple wooden clutching cross into my hand. It was in the Armenian Quarter, which vies with the Jewish Quarter in my opinion for offering the Old City’s best food. She didn’t want money, so perhaps it was just a spontaneous act of hospitality, a Johannine welcome in the spirit of “come and eat.” 

We look apprehensively towards Jerusalem over coming days, not only as Iran’s missiles rain down towards it but as we approach 7th October, the dreadful first anniversary of the Hamas incursion into Israel that claimed 1,139 lives and sparked the reprisal campaign in Gaza, which has cost tens of thousands more during the past twelve months.