fbpx

TEMPLE MOUNT TROUBLES

Hamas threatens Israel over Passover sacrifices

April 14, 2022 — Israel National News reports: “The Hamas terrorist organization issued a threat against Israel Wednesday over a campaign by an activist group to offer the Passover sacrifice on the Temple Mount on Friday, the eve of Passover.

‘We stress that this represents a dangerous escalation that crosses all red lines, as it is a direct assault on the belief and feelings of our people and our nation during this holy month,’ Hamas said, adding that it would hold Israel responsible if any Jews perform the Biblical ceremony at the holy site.

The Temple Mount is the Holiest site in Judaism, while the Al Aqsa Mosque, which sits at the southern end of the mount, is the third holiest site in Islam. Jews are typically not allowed to even appear to be praying on the entire Temple Mount, and allegations of Jewish plots against the Al Aqsa Mosque have been used to incite violence against Jews since the 1920s.

The ‘Returning to the Mount’ movement launched a new campaign to encourage Jews to perform the Passover sacrifice this week.

In the publication published by the movement, a cash prize of ten thousand shekels was offered to those who succeed in performing the ‘Passover sacrifice’ in its proper place, eight hundred shekels to those who are stopped on their way with a young goat or lamb, and four hundred shekels for those who are stopped without an animal for sacrifice…”  (In Genesis 22:1-14 God commanded Abraham to bring his son Isaac to the land of Moriah and offer him as a sacrifice there.  As he was about to complete the sacrifice, God stopped him and provided a ram as a substitutionary sacrifice.  In I Chronicles 21:18 – 26, King David purchased this mount so he could build an altar to offer a sacrifice when he confessed his sin.  This was the location where the angel of the Lord was commanded to stop the destruction of Jerusalem [I Chronicles 21:15].  In II Chronicles 3:1, King Solomon built the First Temple on Mount Moriah, this was started in 966 BC.  This Temple stood until 586 BC when it was destroyed by the Babylonians.  The Second Temple was built in 516 BC and enlarged by Herod the Great in 12 BC.  It stood until it was destroyed by the Romans in AD 70.  The Dome of the Rock was built in AD 692, and the Al Aqsa Mosque was not built until AD 705.  It is obvious who has the rightful claim to the Temple Mount.  See the next four reports.) 

Jordan calls on Israel to cease attempts to ‘change status quo around al-Aqsa’

April 19, 2022 — YnetNews.com reports: “Jordan on Monday urged Israel to stop what it calls Jerusalem’s attempts to ‘change the historical and legal status quo around the al-Aqsa Mosque.’

In a letter to Israeli Chargé D’affaires Sami Abu Janeb, which he was asked to pass on to the government posthaste, Amman called Israel’s actions around the mosque ‘a reprehensible breach of international law and of Israel’s obligations as an occupying power’ and stressed the need to respect the rights of worshipers at the Jerusalem shrine.

The Foreign Ministry, in response, said that Amman’s actions ‘harm efforts to bring about quiet in Jerusalem and provide backing to those who are damaging the sanctity of the holidays and are using violence which endangers the lives of Muslims and Jews alike.’…”

Arab League criticizes Israel over Temple Mount

April 22, 2022 — Israel National News reports: “The Arab League on Thursday called on Israel to end Jewish prayers inside the Temple Mount, warning it was a flagrant affront to Muslim feelings that could trigger wider conflict, Reuters reported.

‘Our demands are clear that Al-Aqsa and Haram al Sharif in all its area is a sole place of worship for Muslims,’ Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman al Safadi told reporters alongside Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit after an emergency meeting in Amman on the matter.

Gheit accused Israel of violating centuries-old policy according to which non-Muslims may visit the Al-Aqsa compound, but not pray there.

‘These violations are a blatant affront and provocation of Muslim feelings everywhere and they risk a cycle of violence that threatens security and stability in the region and the world,’ the Arab League said in a statement quoted by Reuters.

Safadi, who met senior US officials visiting the region on Wednesday, said he received assurances Israel would halt Jewish worshippers entry to Al-Aqsa in the last 10 days of Ramadan…”

Non-Muslims to be barred from visiting the Temple Mount during the end of Ramadan

April 20, 2022 — The Times of Israel reports: “Israel Police will bar non-Muslims from visiting the Temple Mount and the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound from Friday until the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on May 2.

The plan was leaked to a number of Hebrew media outlets on Tuesday evening, sparking immediate outcry from right-wing lawmakers and pundits, who blasted the government for ‘caving to terror’ following days of clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police on the Temple Mount.

The policy of barring non-Muslims from visiting the Temple Mount during the last roughly ten days of Ramadan has been in place for years, however.

Last year, former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the site closed to non-Muslims for 19 days during Ramadan. He came under heavy criticism when he barred the site from reopening to Jewish worshipers on Jerusalem Day, a nationalist holiday celebrating Israel taking control of the capital in 1967, which coincided with Ramadan…”

Arabs riot on the Temple Mount, fire explosives at police officers

April 21, 2022 — Israel National News reports: “The clashes on the Temple Mount have resumed, ahead of the last time Jews will be permitted to ascend the Mount until the end of the Muslim holiday of Ramadan.

On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announced that due to the Arab violence on the Temple Mount, the site would be closed to Jews beginning Friday and through the end of Ramadan.

According to Arab reports, on Thursday morning, security forces entered the site and closed the worshipers in one of the mosques.

Footage from the scene shows that the forces used riot dispersal methods after the rioters attacked them with stones and fireworks and tried to harm the police officers from within the mosque.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh called on Muslims to come en mass to the Temple Mount on Friday, and to show their presence…”