Why has the Middle East been so significant in European, African, and Asian history?

For one, the Middle East is between those regions, so it's an important trade route. Additionally, it had much better climate than many other regions, which supported an early development of civilization there. Because of this, and for other regions, three of the world's most powerful religions have developed there: Islam, Christianity and Judaism, and they have also determined the history of these continents a lot.