| IDF Soldiers on the Temple Mount
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TEN YEARS Israeli police stationed at the Rambam Gate entry to the Temple Mount allowed uniformed Israeli soldiers to ascend to the Mount. The ascent to the Mount by this large contingent of IDF soldiers was done in accordance with Jewish halachic law.
THE UNIFORMED OFF-DUTY SOLDIERS took part in a private visit to the Mount and were led by a qualified guide. (Note: Temple Mount security is the responsibility of the police, not the Israel Defense Forces.)
FOR THE PAST DECADE the police have prevented uniformed soldiers from entering the Temple Mount, claiming that their presence would bruise Moslem sensitivities and violence, (perhaps even on the regional level), could break out. However, despite the very visible presence of these uniformed soldiers who visited the Mount on January 8th, 2012, no opposition or discomfort was expressed by any Moslems who chanced to be on the Mount during their visit. Once again, the dire predictions of the Israel police, upon which they base their discriminatory practice of forbidding large numbers of Jews, or Jewish prayer, or, (until now), uniformed IDF soldiers, have proven false.
ON A SIMILAR, AND NO LESS SIGNIFICANT NOTE, just one week ago a group of Jewish worshipers on the Temple Mount struck up a dialogue with a numbers of Moslems. They discussed the religious status of the Mount to both faiths. During the course of the spontaneous gathering the Moslems involved expressed their sympathy for and understanding of the Jewish desire to pray on the Mount. They likewise denied that they were opposed to Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount, despite repeated police claims to the contrary.
HOPEFULLY, as yet another precedent has been set, and another doomsday prophecy proven unfounded, the police will take the necessary steps to fulfill the letter and spirit of Israeli law and allow full access and freedom of worship for all Jews on the Temple Mount.
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Temple Talk
