Ben Gvir and the Temple Mount: A Crisis Or A Visit?

 Nadene Goldfoot                                            

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir (2nd from left) visits the Temple Mount on January 3, 2023. (Youtube screenshot; used in accordance with clause 27a of the Copyright Law) This happened despite threats from the Hamas, terror group, who think they rule over the land.  

Gvir did it again.  He dared to visit the Temple Mount.  National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, center, visits the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem, May 21, 2023. (Courtesy: Minhelet Har Habayit)

Threshing floor in today's Jerusalem on Temple Mount that was the beginning of Solomon's Temple and where it stood

Within the amazing city of Jerusalem is the Temple Mount with more history than you probably care to read about.  It was on this spot, which was a threshing floor, that Jews read about.  "”So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for 50 shekels of silver. Then David built there an altar to Adonai, and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. So Adonai was moved by prayer of entreaty for the land, and restrained the plague from Israel. (2 Samuel 24:18-25)

"King David bought that land fair and square, under the instruction of God, and it was on that site the first temple was built (Mount Moriah). And then after that, the second temple. And today, the Dome of the Rock stands in its place."  The Muslims are said to have built their Mosque over the Jewish 2nd Temple of Solomon.  There lies the problem.  The Muslims won't allow any archaeological moves to find out what lies under the mosque. Evidently they are afraid it is true.                      

The Temple Mount is revered by Jews as the historic location of the two Jewish Temples, making it Judaism’s holiest site. It is also the third-holiest for Muslims, who refer to it as the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound or the Noble Sanctuary. Muslim rock throwers in picture happen too often, trying to harm Jews.  

Ever since 1967's war of an all-Muslim attack on Israel, and Israel winning against the many Muslim countries  in 6 days, the Jews of Israel have been able to visit all of Jerusalem  but are not allowed by the Jordanians to pray on the Temple Mount!  The Temple Mount is revered by Jews as the historic location of the two Jewish Temples, making it Judaism’s holiest site. It is also the third-holiest for Muslims, who refer to it as the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound or the Noble Sanctuary.

At the end of the war, Moshe Dayan allowed Jordan the right of policing the Temple Mount since they had several mosques there.  He could have gone the other way and barred them but he was as gracious as a general could be.  

Abdullah el-Tell and Moshe Dayan reach cease-fire agreement, Jerusalem, 30 November 1948.  In March 1948, El Tell was promoted to the rank of Major commanding the 6th Regiment of the Arab Legion, stationed in Jericho. In early May his regiment was involved in an attack on the three Jewish colonies at Kfar Etzion which dominated the road between Hebron and Bethlehem. His commander in-chief, Glubb Pasha, ordered him to withdraw his troops. 

On 12 May, however, El Tell told one of his officers in Hebron, Captain Hikmet Muhair, to radio Glubb's headquarters saying that his convoy was under fire from the Kfar Etzion. This resulted in the 6th Regiment receiving orders to attack. The Jewish positions had been holding off attacks from local irregulars but could not resist El Tell's troops who were backed with armoured cars. 127 Jewish prisoners were murdered after they had surrendered while 320 Jews were taken to the prisoner of war camp at Mafraq.  Abdullah was  nasty guy who wanted to be a big-shot, competing with his boss.

Moshe Dayan wasn't head of security but was the Chief of the General Staff from 53 to 58; and also Minister of Defense from 67 to 74.  

Yet the Muslims have not given an inch.  They won't allow the Jews any rights there.  That's why Jews pray at the Western Wall instead. We have a new generation of Jews who are asking why Israel allows this to happen that they cannot visit this part of the mount when it's in Jerusalem, their capital city.  

 Besides that, the rabbis have said that Jews cannot be there praying anyway for we are not sure of where the spot is that was sacred to the high priest where other Jews could not be: the  "Holy of Holies, Hebrew Qodesh Ha-qadashim, also called Devir, the innermost and most sacred area of the ancient Temple of Jerusalem, accessible only to the Israelite high priest." So we've had rabbis and Muslims keeping Jews away from the site of the 2nd Temple's existence.  It's said that if those enforcers see a Jew moving his lips, he's in trouble.  All this, yet Christians are allowed these privileges. 

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir b: May 6, 1976 who is 47 years old,  visits the Temple Mount, January 3, 2023. (Courtesy Minhelet Har Habayit)  Ben Gvir had been long accused of being a provocateur, having previously led several visits to the Temple Mount as activist and member of Knesset, contentious marches through Jerusalem's Old City Muslim Quarter, and set up an office in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood which witnessed several evictions of Palestinians. On 3 January 2023, he visited the Temple Mount where the al-Aqsa Mosque is located, spurring an international wave of criticism that labelled his visit purposely provocative. As a lawyer, he is known for defending Jewish radicals on trial in Israel.

Ben Gvir, the national security minister of Israel,  says ‘government will not surrender to Hamas’ after terror group warned against his visit; Likud denies Netanyahu asked far-right leader to postpone his visit.  He said, "“The Israeli government won’t capitulate to a murderous organization, to a repugnant terrorist group,” Ben Gvir said in the course of his visit, referring to Hamas threats. “The Temple Mount is the most important place for the people of Israel. The Temple Mount is open to all — Muslims, Christians and, yes, Jews too. Jews too. There won’t be racist discrimination in a government in which I am a member. Jews will ascend to the Temple Mount.” The United States also sided with Hamas, criticizing Ben Gvir for being there and using politics in a sacred religious place, intimidating that it was a crass thing to do.  They had a point, but their own politics didn't hide it very well.  

"All of the threats from Hamas don’t matter. We are in charge in Jerusalem and in all of the Land of Israel,” he declared, referring to the Gaza Strip-based Palestinian terror group that has threatened Israel with action if the so-called status quo on the Temple Mount is changed," he stated.  He seems fearless, believing in facing the enemy and charging head on.  He is determined to let the enemy know that Israel is in charge here..  He might have had a meeting of the minds with Jordan first explaining the feeling, especially now with the Abrahamic Accords in place, but this has been his personality and way of solving problems.  Netanyahu doesn't want to lose the government, either, and Gvir holds a few of the strings.  

Palestinian Authority presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh called Ben-Gvir’s visit a “blatant attack” on the Al-Aksa Mosque on the Temple Mount. Jordan’s Foreign Ministry called it “a provocative step that is condemned, and a dangerous and unacceptable escalation.” Neighboring Egypt, which like Jordan has a peace treaty with Israel, also issued a condemnation.  

They don't like to hear it, but it's the truth. Israel had to fight the battles of 1947-1949, 1956, 1967, 1982 to prove that they have created Israel which includes all of Jerusalem. My personal feeling is the Gvir is like the man who needs lessons in making love.  There are ways of making it a most pleasant experience. Dayan would have been great!  

Resource:

https://www.oneforisrael.org/bible-based-teaching-from-israel/the-temple-was-built-on-a-threshing-floor/ 

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Holy-of-Holies