Shin Bet foils Hamas's plans to control Temple Mount

reprinted from The Jerusalem Post
Jul. 2, 2007

Yaakov Katz

Hamas attempts to take over control of the Temple Mount as well as spread its ideology and recruit new members in Jerusalem has been foiled by the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency,) senior security official announced Monday.

According to officials, Hamas has invested millions of shekels in recent years in Jerusalem charities, religious institutions, as well as in construction on the Temple Mount in an effort to recruit Israeli Arab residents of Jerusalem into its ranks, thus bolstering its presence in the capital.

The official said that Hamas recently built a bathroom on the Temple Mount and also enlarged a library and prayer halls in Solomon's Stables.

"Their goal is to gain full control over the Temple Mount," a high-ranking security officer said Monday, adding that Hamas also tried to infiltrate members into the Temple Mount as maintenance staff, in addition to its religious leaders who preach, give tours, and teach Koran classes there.

The official said Hams had taken advantage of the Jordanian Wakf, which is responsible for the holy site. The Wakf has been suffering from finance constraints since 2000, when the Temple Mount mosques were closed to visitors.

Official said the Hamas takeover of the Temple Mount was a "strategic" move to bolster its standing in the Palestinian territories and throughout the Muslim world.

During a year-long operation, Shin Bet arrested 11 Hamas officials based in Jerusalem, 10 of whom held Israeli identity cards.

Hamas's Jerusalem headquarters were funded by Hamas headquarters in Syria, as well as a chain of charity institutions based in Saudi Arabia . In addition to Hamas's efforts to take over the Temple Mount, the movement increased in recent years its activity in east Jerusalem, where it had set up religious institutions and used what seemed to be innocent festivities to "brainwash" Muslims with Hamas ideology.

In order to implement its goals, Hams had also set up a number of institutions of a semi-religious nature to front illegal activities. According to officials, there are no Hamas institutions currently active in Jerusalem.

The Shin Bet also focused its operations in curbing the flow of money into Hamas. A senior Hamas official, Yakub Abu Assab, was arrested for allegedly running a courier service that transferred funds from the West Bank and abroad to the Hamas headquarters in Jerusalem.

Israeli efforts to stop Hamas also included the arrests of Hamas parliamentarians, including Khaled Abu Afa, former Hamas minister for Jerusalem affairs.

Shin Bet foils Hamas's plans to control Temple Mount

Hamas Tried To Take over Temple Mount

reprinted from Arutz 7
16 Tammuz 5767, 02 July 07 12:33

(IsraelNN.com) The National Security Agency (Shin Bet) revealed Monday morning it has arrested 11 Hamas officials who have led an effort to take over the Temple Mount from the Jordanian Wakf. Ten of those arrested possess cards identifying themselves as Israeli citizens.

"Their goal is to gain full control over the Temple Mount," a security official stated, adding that the Hamas terrorist party has built a bathroom and expanded its library and prayer rooms at the Temple Mount. Hamas, funded by Syria, Iran and other Arab nations, has invested millions of dollars in the site, where it conducted tours and preached Hamas ideology.

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