Spiraling out of control

From the veranda of the Hebrew University on Mount Scopus, the call for the Maghreb (evening) prayer permeates the warm Jerusalem fall air. A thousand different voices repeat the ancient formula from all across the town, although the loudest call without a doubt comes from Al-Aksa's four minarets.

Soon, if the plan announced last week by Jordanian King Abdullah II becomes a reality, a fifth minaret will be added. The Hashemite monarch's announcement last week seems to have detonated a small bomb in both Arab and Jewish worlds, causing contradictory reactions and not a little antagonism.

Although the minaret in question, a tall spiral structure, will certainly not change the holy compound beyond recognition, some Israeli experts warn that the addition of another minaret, or any new building or sanctuary, might ruin the delicate and fragile status quo that has been achieved after many years of friction, pressures and suspicions.

Dr. Yitzhak Reiter of the Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies believes that the agreements on holy places must remain unchanged, since even the slightest amendment might cause a great deal of trouble and unrest: "Even the amendment in the regulation of security arrangements on the Mount could potentially trigger trouble, let alone the addition of another sanctuary.

"Since Israel claims to be in charge of security in this troubled spot, it might not be wise to support such a decision since it may cause dissatisfaction among other religious groups. For example, the Jewish radical elements might say that if there is room for another minaret on Temple Mount, a place could also be found for a synagogue."

As if living up to Reiter's predictions, MK Uri Ariel (NRP-NU) announced last week that he was drawing up plans to construct a synagogue on the Temple Mount.

"This is not a new idea," Ariel stressed. "It has been brought up and considered countless times since the Six Day War."

He also told reporters that the plan would soon be submitted to the Jerusalem Municipality and the Committee for Construction and Planning for approval. Remembering the tragic days of September 2000, and the five years of intifada that followed - when thousands of protesters around the Arab and Muslim world burned Israeli flags with the name Al-Aksa on their lips - it's hard to imagine that either Wakf authorities or the Jordanians, considered Al-Aksa guardians, will be thrilled with the idea.

The plan may not be approved, but even discussing the issue adds fuel to the fire of religious intolerance and zeal.

"This [the construction of the synagogue] will be an ideal opportunity for the Muslims to demonstrate tolerance toward other faiths," Ariel told Arutz Sheva. The question is whether this rationalism will be accepted by any of the sides who are fighting the fight of their lives to call the Temple Mount their own.

In response to In Jerusalem's request, advocate Zahi Meijidat, a spokesman for the Islamic Movement in Israel, said that the movement's leaders are not yet seriously concerned about Ariel's plans. "We don't think that these plans will be allowed to become reality. At the same time we want to remind everybody that Al-Aksa and Al-Haram al-Sharif [Temple Mount] are purely Islamic, and will remain that way forever. We do not recognize the right of any other religious denomination [to have authority over the area]. For more then 14 centuries this holy compound has belonged to the Muslims and will stay this way."

Meijidat also says that the additional minaret that will be built by the Jordanians is a blessed act. "Israel has put a lot of effort into safeguarding Al-Aksa. The security of this specific patch of land is essential to the security of the state itself," says veteran Israeli-French journalist Dr. Amnon Kapeliuk.

Despite multiple reports of Israeli compliance with the Jordanian plan, last week The Jerusalem Post reported that Israeli officials said they were not even aware of it. "We didn't receive any official request on this matter, therefore we are not studying the possibility of granting or not granting the necessary permits," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Amira Oron told In Jerusalem. Last week a senior Jordanian personality involved in the project, Dr. Raef Najim, was quoted by The Jerusalem Post as saying that to date, he has not detected any Israeli objections to the project, and he has already toured the proposed building site, accompanied by a senior Jerusalem district police official, as well as a national government representative.

According to Najim, an Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) official also accompanied him on his tour of the site, signaling passive approval by the various governmental agencies.

Despite the Israeli denials, the Jordanians are already talking about beginning construction on Temple Mount in early 2007. King Abdullah II also announced a contest for the best design for the brand new minaret, which must correspond architecturally with the four existing minarets - Bab al-Asbat, al-Fakhria, al-Ghawanmeh and Bab al-Silsilah. Three are square and one is cylindrical, from the Mamluk period.

The fifth minaret will be situated along the eastern wall of the Temple Mount, near the Golden Door and Bab al-Asbat. It would be clearly visible towering above the Western Wall.

The Hashemite dynasty has a long-term and difficult relationship with the Temple Mount. Since the beginning of their reign in 1921 the Hashemites started paying special attention to the Temple Mount, as if trying to replace the dynasty's loss of control over the Mecca and Medina sanctuaries. After several battles during the Forties over the right to control the Temple Mount with the Supreme Muslim Council, the body that was then led by Palestinian religious figures, the most famous of whom is Haj Amin al-Husseini, Amman took over control of the city's holy places in 1948.

Administrators and religious functionaries at the Temple Mount became Jordanian civil servants, with Amman paying their salaries and assuming responsibility for maintenance of the sites. A major renovation of the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aksa was carried out in 1958, albeit with financial assistance from other Muslim governments and organizations.

This special Jordanian role continued even after the Six Day War. Jordan retained custodial responsibility for the mosque compound, even after it gave up all claims to the West Bank in 1988, and coordinates its work with the Palestinian Authority. According to the 1994 Israeli-Jordanian peace agreement, Israel agreed to respect the "special role" of Jordan at Muslim holy shrines in Jerusalem and promised to give "high priority" to Jordan's historic role at the shrines during permanent-status negotiations with the Palestinians. Former Palestinian Authority chairman Yasser Arafat, who agreed not to set up institutions in Jerusalem according to an agreement with Israel, appointed his own mufti of Jerusalem, Sheikh Ikrama Sabri, and other Palestinian officials as Islamic religious authorities on the Temple Mount, sidelining the Jordanian administration in the mid-1990s.

Building the fifth minaret, then, might become the grand Jordanian comeback to the area, symbolizing that the Jordanians are still calling the shots at the Temple Mount.

"Jordanians always sought recognition for their role at Al-Haram al-Sharif," says Reiter and adds, "During the Fifties they funded the renovation of the Dome of the Rock and King Hussein had even sold his private house in London to finance this costly operation. So the Jordanians certainly want to be in the picture, and it is also in the interest of Israel that King Abdullah II and not some radical Muslim organization will call the shots in this Gordian knot."

At the same time Reiter repeats his concerns about the soundness of the decision to create another minaret at the place. "You have to think really carefully how you can satisfy all the parties and at the same time not to mess with the status quo, which might have unanticipated and unwanted consequences."

'Herod's stones' were carved by Herod's master architects, and made up the foundation of the old temple. Thw western wall, called the wailing wall is actually part of this foundation platform.

It had litle to do with the actual temple itself, but because the Muzzies now control the actual rock the temple was built on,(the rock of Abraham) the Jews are resigned to the wall, which is called the wailing wall because of the remorse Jews feel because of the loss of the temple and the rock of Abraham, which was raized to the ground in AD 70 by the Roman Army, and the Jews exiled.

"All these things you are staring at now -- the time will come when not a single stone will be left on another: everything will be destroyed." (Lk.21:6).

Most of this prophacy has certainly been fullfilled, except for the wailing wall. According to prophecy, they are gone forever because God gave them away. Jesus is now the true temple of God and Peter is the actual 'rock' on which God's Church is built. This site is no longer of any importance for Christians, cirtainly not worth fighting over.
In fact, it is excellent proof of the falsehoods of Islam and and the claims of it's wannabe prophet. Muslims should be embarassed that their "dome of the rock" is even there, as the history of the site is well proven without a shadow of doubt.

That Herod's stones make up the foundation of the "dome of the rock" and are there today should tell any sane Muslim (proof again that there are no sane Muslims) that "Muhammads dream" of travelling from Mecca to Jerusalem one night on a flying Donkey to a mosk supposedly built there by magic was nothing but a bad opium overdose.

Plus, since Mohammad invented this blood cult, and at the time he had this dream, he had a huge following of about 5 people including himself, who built it?
None of his followers have ever been to Jerusalem, it was a 2 year round trip, and at this stage Islam didn't really exist, not even in Mohammads mind, since he made it up as he went along in the years to follow.

He hadn't even yet stolen the name "Allah" from the rock worshippng Arabs, the Quraish, Moe's own tribe. While they (and Mohammad too before he decided to create his own cult) had many rock gods, the chief ones were -as the Qur'an reproves- (before later abrogations caused by Rushdie's revealing of Islams multiple god worship,(Surah An Najm -Surah LIII)) Al-lat, 'Uzza,' and Manah, who were styled by the Quraish as daughters of "the god most high".(Al-ilah Ta'ala') "Al-ilah" means "the god", and is what "allah" is contraction (slang) of, and commonly used by the pagans generations before Mohammad came along. Mohammad was, during this flying donkey period, still calling his god "Ar-Rahman". Even that name was stolen from Zaid, a Hanif who was largely a hermit who spent much of his time in a cave, where Mohammad often visited with him and obviously adopted many of his beliefs. After Zaid died, it was in this same cave where Moe received his first beating from Satan who came to him in the form of an angel while he was worshiping rock gods.

Getting back to rocks, Jews still focus on the rock of Abraham, and is why the temple and the boulder on which it stood are so important to them.
When the day recently came for the restoration of Jerusalem in fulfillment of Joel's prophecies, one of the very first Jewish priorities was the repair and restoration of the wailing wall.

After the six-day war in 1967 when Israel finally gained control of this sector of Jerusalem, they pulled down those Palestinian houses and opened up a large square in front of the wall.
In his prophesy about the restoration of Jerusalem, Isaiah foresaw this event: "You counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you pulled down houses to strengthen the wall." (Is.22:10).

This is a prophacy that is still in play. Isaiah's words warned the Jews that their rejoicing at this restoration was untimely, because it was leading to a day of panic and rout (Is.22:1-14), and that during this rout the walls of Jerusalem would be thrown down.

"For this, a day of panic and rout is from the Lord God Almighty. In the valley of Hinnom a wall is thrown down, they are shouting for help on the mountains. Persia takes up his quiver, Aram mounts his horse and Kir fetches out his shield. Your fairest valleys are filled with chariots and the horsemen take up positions at the gates; thus falls the defense of Judah." (Is.22:5-8).

Added support for Isaiah's warnings are clear in the prophecies of disaster which Jeremiah and Ezekiel announced would sweep the nation of Israel as the days of the End unfold. These warnings are not veiled and they are uniquivocal. The defense of Judah is destined to crumble in the last days under the onslaught of Persian invaders.

Jewish ears are still tuned to Moses. Ignoring Jesus Christ, they have attempted to rebuild the old traditions there instead. Scripture has termed this misconstruction, 'plastering the old wall' rather than 'rebuilding' a new one.(In Christ) (Ez.13:10). Fighting over this is worthless, and is mentioned in prophasy. Even though Israel is technically in the right, for some reason, the worls scorns it for defending itself, and in cases anexing land to prevent further attacks. This from Habbukuk:

"The cup from God's right hand comes round to you, and disgrace will overshadow your glory. For the violence done to Lebanon is going to overwhelm you, so will the slaughter of terrified beasts, for you have shed men's blood and ravished the country, the city and all who live in it." (Hab.2:16-17).

In conquering and destroying Lebanon, the Israel brought to an end Christian rule in that country and caused the entire balance of power in the Middle East to shift into the hands of the Persian Shiites of Iran. We can clearly see this conflict about to happen if we look a prophacy.

Most Christians understand that the restoration of Jerusalem is for the purpose of the Jewish meeting with God's chosen king, Jesus Christ. instead, they have in mind of returning to the old covenant and to the old boundaries.

Isaiah warned that such an event would happen: "In the middle you made a reservoir between the two walls for the waters of the old pool." (Is.22:11). Isaiah predicted that the Jews would misconstrue God's purpose in restoring them to Jerusalem.

"Your salvation lay in conversion and tranquility, your strength in complete trust." (Is.30:15).

"Instead of my people rebuilding the wall, these people come and slap on plaster." (Ez.13:10).

There is so much prophasy about these times, it's hard to miss"When I have exhausted my anger against the wall and those who plastered it, I shall say to you: The wall is gone, and so are those who slapped it over with plaster, these prophets of Israel[pharasies, politicians?] who prophesy about Jerusalem and have visions of peace for her when there is no peace." (Ez.13:10-16)

Another wall is also destined to fall in Jerusalem. This is the eastern wall which faces the Mount of Olives. This is the wall housing the sealed Golden Gate, which is the last of the eight gates leading into the Palestinian city of Jerusalem.

Interesting is that the other seven gates were left open by the muslims when they rebuilt the city and its walls centuries ago, but this eighth gate they sealed because they felt that by closing it off they could prevent the Jewish Messiah from coming through it in fulfillment of the Rabbinical traditions.

Neither the muslims nor the Jews believe that Jesus is the Messiah. Both look for someone else.

Jewish tradition taught that the Messiah would come into Jerusalem through the 'Golden Gate' which faced east toward the Mount of Olives. When the muslims learned of this, they sealed the eastern gate to prevent anyone entering at this location. It has remained sealed to the present day. ( What makes Muslims think they can block God's intentions? Unless they believe in a different god of course!)

At the end of time, when Michael the Archangel appears on the Mount of Olives, the sealed golden gate will be opened by God, and it is to this opening that Michael will procede on his journey to Jerusalem, heralding the second coming of Jesus Christ, whose brilliant re-appearance will follow right afterward, just as soon as Michael calls out the command. (1 Thes.4:16). For this reason, when the western wall comes down and the golden gate is made open to the east, it will be a sign to the whole world that the return of Jesus is imminent.

Spiritually, the eighth gate was sealed by God long before the muslims came. This sealing took place in fact when the Jewish blindness was first decreed -- a decree announced by the Apostle Paul. For this reason, the opening of this gate points to the restoration of Jewish sight and to their reunion with the Lord at the end of time.

This last part is still a long ways off of course. Much has to happen before then. But some prophacy seems to be in play now. We know Christ said, the temple will never be rebuilt. Not one stone will remain on another.

"For you have made the town a heap of stones, the fortified city a ruin. The citadel of the proud is a city no longer; it will never be rebuilt." Isaiah 25:2

Pointing to the temple mount and to its buildings, Jesus decreed, I>"You see all these? I tell you solemnly, not a single stone here will be left on another: everything will be destroyed." (Mt.24:2).

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