Jerusalem: A Biography

I'm reading this tremendous book by Simon Sebag-Montefiore at the moment; it's a 3000-year romp through the history of the world's most fought-over city, and it's wonderful. The problem is that there is just too much history to cover. Surely nowhere else on the planet can have experienced the multiple highs and lows, rebuildings and reinterpretations of Jerusalem? Although it is of central importance to Jews, Christians and Muslims, I do wonder how many of them, if they really knew its history, would retain their beliefs in their religion? Or would they realise that beliefs are unimportant vanities that only serve to keep people apart? And isn't it astonishing that the most impressive religions are not the ones with the most arcane theologies, but the ones that emphasise respect for each other above mere creeds and doctrines? Let's hope the next few years are happier for Jerusalem and the world than the last three millennia.