Like religion and politics

The fact that the world of art has become a flashpoint in the conflict does not come as a surprise to Mike Dahan, a lecturer at Sapir College in Israel's Negev Desert. He views the relationship between culture and politics in the same way as religion and politics - things that are virtually impossible to separate in the fiery Middle East.

"Of course culture is used in terms of politics and culture expresses politics. I think every society uses it as a tool," Dahan said on Tuesday.

On the practical level that can make life very difficult, as private Palestinian consultant on education and culture Suhail Miari discovered when he advised the committee that organized Jerusalem's year of culture.

While he accepts that the Arab League's decision to grant the status to Jerusalem was politically motivated, Miari was surprised by the extent to which Israel hampered the artistic proceedings.

"We did not realize that Israel would prevent Palestinians from exhibiting their music, their art," he said.

Shared blame

Both the Israelis and Palestinians are guilty of using politics in culture and vice versa, according to Dahan, but the lion's share of the responsibility lies with Israel, simply because it holds nearly all of the cards. The Cave of the Patriarchs is a perfect example.

"As far as Israel is concerned, it's an attempt to establish facts on the ground, to further increase the entrenchment of Israelis within the territories," said Dahan.

As a by-product of the politicization of culture, the arts do receive more funding than they might otherwise. The eastern side of Jerusalem, for example, saw investment and cash benefits as a result of the Arab League's vote in favor of the city as Arab Capital of Culture.

However, Dahan insists the political ramifications are far more serious and he views the entire process as extremely dangerous and unhealthy.

That is an opinion shared by Miari. He saw things have become more difficult and more politically motivated during recent years.

Like all walks of life in this explosive part of the world, art in all its forms is influenced by, and influences, what the locals euphemistically refer to as "the situation."

One need look no further than the Israeli and Palestinian film industries to see how much the troubles are reflected in artistic expression. However, in the cases of the Cave of the Patriarchs and Rachel's Tomb, the argument is much more about politicians of all colors using historical monuments as a way to score points over their rivals. And in the highly-charged Middle East, something as simple as that can easily lead to bloodshed.