jerusalem's geography represents a difficult religious conflict to resolve. why?

Both the Jews and the Muslims revere the same sites.

Explanation:

The Temple Mount is a religious site located in Jerusalem. It is venerated by both Muslims and Jews.

The Holy Temple, the Jewish most important religious site, was once located on the Temple Mount. When Muslims conquered Jerusalem in the 7th century, they built the Dome of the Rock on that specific location.

This way, the most important Muslim and Jewish sanctuaries all go back to one place and remain in conflict to date.