Temple Mount reopened to Jewish visitors

Nearly three years after Jerusalem's Temple Mount was declared off limits to non-Muslims visitors, the bitterly contested holy site was reopened to Jewish and Christian visitors Wednesday, without the explicit approval of the Islamic Wakf which administers the compound.

Jerusalem police chief Mickey Levy said that "several hundred" Jewish and Christian visitors toured the area during the two hours it was open to the public on Wednesday morning without any reports of violence.

However, for reasons that were not immediately clear, journalists invited to a briefing with the police chief at the Western Wall plaza Wednesday morning, were not allowed into the Temple Mount.

Wakf director Adnan Husseini said Wednesday that "no agreement" had been reached between the two sides to reopen the mount to non-Muslim visitors, despite weeks of high-level contacts between the sides. As such, it appeared that the reopening was a unilateral Israeli move, similar to Israel's reopening of the site to selected visitors for several weeks starting in June.

Fearing renewed Palestinian violence, police have barred non-Muslims from entering the Temple Mount since Ariel Sharon's controversial visit in September 2000. Aside from a brief reopening in June, the 34 months since then have been the longest period the Judaism's holiest site has been closed to Jews and Christians since the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967.

Internal Security Minister Tzahi Hanegbi had said last week that the mount would be reopened this "week with or without" the accord of the Wakf which administers the site.

Hanegbi said Wednesday in a statement that "from now on the Palestinians will not have to right to veto the entry of non-Muslims to a site holy to all religions."

The Internal Security ministry did not explain, however, why journalists were not allowed to enter the site.

Last week, Deputy Internal Security Minister Ya'acov Edri said that he was "almost absolutely certain" that an agreement will indeed be reached with the Islamic Trust to reopen the ancient holy site this week.

But backtracking for earlier positive statements of a possible agreement -- including a suggestion that the reopening was made at the behest of economically hard-hit east Jerusalem Arab merchants who were yearning for the return of tourists to the Old City - Wakf director Husseini insisted Wednesday that no accord had been reached with the Israeli authorities to reopen the site. His remarks came in the wake of stinging condemnation of the move by the PA-appointed Mufti of Jerusalem, Ikrema Sabri.

For his part, the Jerusalem police chief said that the decision to reopen the mount to visitors on Wednesday was made before Tuesday night's Palestinian suicide bombing in Jerusalem. He declined to say whether the move was coordinated with the Wakf.

Starting in June, in what police termed the beginning of a process to gradually reopen the Temple Mount, small groups of Jewish and Christian visitors were allowed to enter the site under police escort, in an attempt to revert back to the status quo that existed for more than three decades since the Six Day Waruntil the eruption of violence.

That 33-year-long status quo had allowed non-Muslim visitors to enter, but not conduct public prayer, at the holy site, a right that was reserved for Muslims only.

The selective visits were abruptly ended last month amidst concern over new Palestinian violence at the site, in the wake of scathing criticism of the unilateral move by Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat, who warned of "grave consequences" if Jews continued to visit the compound.

The initial move toward reopening the site followed the unanimous agreement by Israeli security officials, including the heads of police and the Shin Bet, that Israel was setting a dangerous precedent by keeping the site closed for so long.

Security officials have previously noted that the Wakf was feeling the economic burden of the loss of tourist dollars - a large source of their income - by the steep admission the Islamic Trust charges to gain entry to the mosque and shrine at the compound.

Security officials said Wednesday that the real test measuring the success of the mount's peaceful reopening would likely come on Friday, after Muslim prayers.

While the religion based on the teachings of Jesus is founded on faith and has fewer attachments to physical locations and holy places than other religions, it is true that the Temple Mount is as holy a location to Christians as any place on the face of the planet.

We know that Jesus was presented at the temple for consecration days after his birth and was greeted by Simeon the cantor with a hymn of praise. We know that he was ceremonially welcomed as a man of the Hebrew nation at the temple and here astounded the Rabbis with his probing and sagacious questions while his troubled parents wondered where he could possibly be.

We know that he later taught in the public areas of the temple and, disturbed at the noise of commerce in a place devoted to worshiping the source of all life, drove the profiteers from the temple.

And it was here where he dared to return with his message of spiritual hope in spite of the knowledge that those in power, regarding Jesus as a threat, plotted his destruction.

The Temple Mount belongs to the Jews and to every generation of Christians who embrace Jesus' inspired teaching of brotherhood in the arms of a loving God.

The souls of the deceased will be avenged ! The evil, satanic puppet masters of these terrorist bombers will be defeated. Righteous Anger plus Righteous Might are a powerful team when used properly. If the latest horrific attack does not galvanise the Israeli and Jewish populace to action regarding the opening of their "Peace Centre" and holiest place i.e. The Temple Mount, then I fear for the sanity of the people.

Can they connect the following dots...

(1) The Master of the Universe told King David that it would be a great site for a "Peace Centre", and seat of his government.

(2) The Master of the Universe told the Jewish people to be "A light unto the nations" by their adherence to the laws brought down by Moses.

(3) The "State of Israel" is not perfect at the moment but can be with a Messianic Government.

(4) Gee whiz kids, it looks strongly like their is indeed a real, live candidate for the title of "Righteous Redeemer" who can actually do the job...

(5) This "Wise Counsellor" par-excellence fellow is trying to clarify the confused thinking of many people and has been doing so for a long time. He is now giving the "leaders" of the world a clear instruction.

(6) The moody camel driver Mohammed was a fraud, thus Islam is flawed and their claim to the Temple Mount is fraudulent. Their "Doom", sorry "Dome" looks a bit like an exposed breast waiting to be sucked by a poor, irresponsible, lazy phantom child.

(7) The Divine Clock is ticking away...

Tick, tick, tick...

In communications from Israel, I have read that there have been references to the Jewish/Israeli authorities having to negotiate/appease/discuss with the Muslim illegal squatter authorities about opening the most important Jewish site to Jewish People. This fact proves to me the insanity of most of the world.

It's like the innocent victims in the Stockholm Bank, ( the case was later used to describe the transference/fear/identity-consciousness re-ordering that can occur in hostage situations, a.k.a."The Stockholm Syndrome.") who now have :

(a) The keys to get out
(b) A loaded machine gun to defend themselves
(c) The support of very powerful forces, i.e. The Master of the Universe and Moshiach

asking permission from the deluded bank robber to leave the room !

Wake up everyone !

Wake up !

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