Since the Middle East peace talks broke off last summer, following the failure of U.S. President Bill Clinton's high-profile Camp David initiative, there have been fears that mounting frustrations would explode in violence. Those fears were realized last week when tensions boiled over in Jerusalem. Over 50 people have been killed in the aftermath of a visit to a disputed shrine by rightwing Israeli leader Ariel Sharon. The violence -- virtually a war -- has stopped the peace process in its tracks. The fighting cannot be allowed to roll it back.
Few individuals are more despised in the Arab world than Mr. Sharon, leader of the Likud party. He was defense minister in 1982 and oversaw Israel's invasion of Lebanon, which led to the murder of hundreds of Palestinians when Lebanese Phalangist forces entered the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatilla. He was forced from office when an official Israeli government inquiry found him responsible for the killings. His political career was resurrected after the defeat of his Likud rival, former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in elections by Prime Minister Ehud Barak. The two men are now fighting for control of their party.
The violence began after Mr. Sharon visited the Old City of Jerusalem. He led a group of Israelis to the Temple Mount, considered by Jews to be the most sacred site in the world. The temple was destroyed by Romans and on its ruins Muslims later built the Haram As-Sharif mosque, a shrine that is just as holy to the followers of Islam. Muslims administer the site, but Jews are allowed to visit the Temple Mount. Mr. Sharon's visit was intended to reaffirm Israel's sovereignty over the site -- a pointless effort, since Israel's claim to the Temple Mount has not been challenged.