From L to R: Árpád von Klimó, Marshall Breger, Joshua Samuels, and Khaled Elgindy

On Tuesday, October 29, the History and Political Science departments of the Catholic University of America hosted a panel discussion titled "Contest and Control: Holy Sites in Jerusalem." The event was based on the recently published book by Marshall J. Breger and Leonard M. Hammer, The Contest and Control of Jerusalem’s Holy Sites: A Historical Guide to Legality, Status, and Ownership.

Featured speakers included Marshall J. Breger, the book's author and a Professor at Catholic Law; Joshua Samuels, Assistant Professor and Chair of the Anthropology department at Catholic University; and Khaled Elgindy, Senior Fellow and Director of the Program on Palestine and Palestinian-Israeli Affairs at the Middle East Institute. The panel was moderated by Árpád von Klimó, Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies of the History department at Catholic University.

The discussion was wide-ranging in both its breadth and nuance, emphasizing the historical and legal complexities surrounding Jerusalem's holy sites. The panelists explored how shared sacred spaces impact the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. From a law and society perspective it underscored how statutes – both domestic and international are interpreted against changing cultural contexts. The conversation underscored the importance of interfaith dialogue and mutual respect, and ended on Moderator von Klimó’s challenge to “not lose hope.”

You can watch the full conversation below: