The ongoing conflict that pits Israel on the one side against Gaza Strip and Iran on the other evokes memories of why and how the Jews were not resettled in western Kenya, a geographical region known as Luhyialand or Luhyia Kingdom.

The land between the Nandi Escarpment to the east and Busoga in Uganda to the west had been earmarked for creation of the nation of the Israel.

According to history books, in 1903, the British Colonial Secretary Joseph Chamberlain offered the Zionists a part of the territory in Kenya where they could establish their own autonomous country. The historical notes drafted during the Sixth Zionist Congress that was held during that year, Chamberlain managed to get Theodor Herzl (largely considered to be the founding father of Zionism) onboard with his grand plan.

The colonial secretary had even gone as far as selecting a three-member commission that travelled to the Uasin Gishu Plateau to examine what was referred to at the time as the Uganda Plan. Some historians have argued that the proposed location of the new State of Israel would have stretched as far as present-day Gilgil, Nakuru County, which was as far as the Luhyia Kingdom stretched eastwards.

When Herzl took to the podium during the Congress that was set to change world politics for centuries to come, he argued that the British East African land in western Kenya could be a safe haven for Jews.

What was in the nineteenth century the Luhyia Kingdom (also known as Wanga Kingdom) had been carved out for Jews, but this was not to be as resettling in western Kenya would have meant the community that is believed the descendants of Jesus Christ being stripped of their spiritual, cultural and biological attachment to their motherland.

To this day, there is a community that calls itself Vayudada or Bayudada in Busia, Kenya, and Busoga in Uganda that believe they are Jews, hence the name Vayudada.

As Israel and Iran rain bombs on the Holy City of Jerusalem, Tell Media’s Emille Martin delves into the conflict that has centuries evolved from a spiritual and cultural clash to a political and technological war that sucks in the entire world. Going by US President Donald Trump’s sentiments, America will join the conflict in a fortnight.

As Israel and Iran started firing missiles at each other, The Jerusalem Herald dug out the history of the city hat is claimed by three religions: Christianity, Islam and Judaism. The Jerusalem Herald says:

Atop a limestone plateau in the heart of Jerusalem’s Old City stands one of the most contested pieces of land on Earth: the Temple Mount or Haram al-Sharif. Sacred to billions of people from three world religions, this site is at the centre of a longstanding debate over what lies beneath its surface.

For Jews, the mount is the holiest place on Earth – once home to the First and Second Temples, the centre of ancient Jewish worship. For Muslims, it is the third-holiest site in Islam, where the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque have stood for over 1,300 years. What lies beneath the mosque has become a symbol of both devotion and division.

According to Jewish tradition and historical accounts, the First Temple was built by King Solomon around 957 BCE and destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. A Second Temple was rebuilt in 516 BCE and later expanded by Herod the Great. This grand structure, a marvel of the ancient world, was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE.

Muslims believe the plateau is the place from which the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven during his miraculous Night Journey, and by 691 CE, the Umayyads had constructed the Dome of the Rock. Soon after came the al-Aqsa Mosque, cementing the area’s religious significance in Islam.

Today, the site is administered by the Islamic Waqf, while Israel maintains overall security control. This shared responsibility creates a delicate and often volatile balance. No archaeological excavation has been allowed directly under the mosque complex due to the site’s extreme religious sensitivity.

As a result, much of what is believed about the ancient temples’ exact locations remains speculative.

Some scholars argue that the massive retaining walls built by Herod the Great – most famously the Western Wall – are the only surviving remnants of the Second Temple complex. Others suggest that the foundation stones of the Holy of Holies, Judaism’s innermost sacred chamber, may still lie beneath the Dome of the Rock itself. Without excavation, the temple’s remains remain hidden – physically and politically.

Beyond historical curiosity, the buried temple has become a lightning rod for modern disputes. Jewish religious groups like the Temple Institute and the Temple Mount Faithful call for the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple on its original site. Such aspirations, however symbolic, are seen by many Muslims as deeply provocative.

Palestinian leaders view these calls as attempts to undermine Muslim heritage in Jerusalem, while Israel faces constant pressure from all sides to maintain the so-called status quo – a fragile agreement that restricts non-Muslim prayer on the mount to avoid conflict.

Even small acts, such as a political figure visiting the site or quiet Jewish prayer gatherings, have triggered violent clashes in recent years. Efforts to excavate or alter the Temple Mount are often blocked not just by politics, but by fear – fear that any discovery, change or symbolic gesture could set off a regional firestorm.

While archaeologists hope for answers, religious communities cling to sacred narratives that transcend stone and soil. As one Israeli historian put it, “This is not just a question of what lies beneath. It’s a question of what each side believes must lie beneath.”

For now, the Temple Mount stands as it has for centuries – layered in faith, memory and silence. What lies beneath remains a powerful symbol of hope for some, fear for others and history for all.

In Judaism, Temple Mount is claimed to be the site of First and Second Temples.

While in Islam it is Haram al-Sharif, Dome of the Rock Prophet Muhammad’s ascension.

While Christianity, it’s claimed as Mount Moriah, which biblical connections is tied to the Old and New Testament events

The Temple of David in Jerusalem: History, location, and the source of struggle

The Temple of David is a term often used in reference to the First Temple, also known as Solomon’s Temple, constructed around the 10th century BCE by King Solomon, the son of King David.

While King David himself did not build the temple, he is credited with establishing Jerusalem as the capital of the ancient Israelite kingdom and laying the foundations – both politically and spiritually – for the temple’s construction.

The Temple Mount, located in the heart of Jerusalem’s Old City, is the traditional site believed to house the ruins of both the First and Second Temples.

City of David: Just south of the Temple Mount lies the archaeological zone known as the City of David, where excavations have revealed structures dating back to David’s reign. This area is thought to be the original core of ancient Jerusalem.

Temple Mount: Today, this elevated platform is home to two of Islam’s holiest sites: the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque. For Jews, it is the holiest site in the world due to its association with the historic.

The Temple Mount or City of David area is one of the most contested pieces of land in the world due to overlapping religious, national and cultural claims. To the Jewish, the site is sacred as the home of the First and Second Temples, central to ancient Jewish worship.

And for the Muslims known as Haram al-Sharif, it is the third holiest site in Islam. It is believed to be the location of the Prophet Muhammad’s night journey to heaven.

And for the Christians, the site also has significance for Christians due to its Biblical heritage. The Temple Mount is administered by an Islamic religious trust known as the Waqf, while Israel maintains security control. Jews are allowed to visit but not pray there, a restriction aimed at avoiding unrest.

Jewish nationalist and religious groups who advocate for rebuilding the Third Temple often cause political tensions and occasional.

Excavations in the City of David aim to uncover physical evidence of biblical Jerusalem. Critics argue that these efforts are driven by political motives and marginalise. Palestinian heritage. The area has become a flashpoint for nationalist symbolism and territorial claims, with both Israeli and Palestinian narratives deeply embedded in its stones.

The Jewish claim it is the holiest site in Judaism – the site of First and Second Temples

While the Muslims claim it is the third-holiest site in Islam; sacred space housing al-Aqsa and Dome. And Christians claim that the biblical importance tied to Old Testament and New Testament events. For the Palestinians it is claimed to be a political and cultural identity tied to East Jerusalem.

Archaeologists disputed excavations and interpretations shape modern identity

So the Temple of David and its surrounding geography are not just a matter of ancient stones – they are a living epicentre of religious devotion, political conflict and cultural identity. The overlap of sacred spaces means that any move – whether by archaeologists, politicians or worshippers – can echo far beyond Jerusalem’s walls.

Peace in this region remains elusive, in part because the stones of the Temple Mount are not just historical they’re symbolic of deeply rooted beliefs and hopes for the future.

• A Tell report / Compiled by Emille Martin