A Shockingly Wonderful Day On The Temple Mount!

Yom Chamishee

Thursday

13 Tishrei 5784

September 28 2023

The Quotes of the Day

Quote 1:

“The liberal protesters who disrupted the Yom Kippur service in Dizengoff Square in Tel Aviv are heroes. There is nothing sacred about politicians disguised at worshipers.”

Merav Michaeli, head of the Labor Party and a leader of the anti-government movement.

What utter insanity. “Liberal”? “Protesters”? “Politicians disguised as worshipers”? The disrupters were nothing more than garden variety anarchists determined to stop the Yom Kippur service.

Now you know why Michaeli’s Labor Party has sunk to almost zero percent approval in recent polls here.

Quote 2:

“IDF forces are vigilant on the fence to make sure that peace returns to the area. If the terror on the fence continues – the IDF will close the crossing again and respond militarily.”

A member of the IDF General Staff this morning.

Who is kidding whom? The terror on the fence continues by the hour, and the IDF has done nothing–and will do nothing (except let more Palestinians into the country).

The News on the Israeli Street

The war in Israel:

Shin Bet announced yesterday that it had thwarted an Iranian attempt to assassinate Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir and Temple Mount activist Yehuda Glick. The Iranians acted through a middleman in Jordan who recruited 3 Palestinians and 2 Israelis who self-identify as Palestinian.

The war on the Gaza border.

In an unbelievable yet wholly predictable development, the IDF announced this morning that despite the fires along the border and the continued launching of explosive balloons into southern Israel, the Erez Border Crossing will be open to Palestinian workers coming from Gaza to work in Israel this morning.

Click here to see Palestinians running to the Crossing early this morning.

The war in Judea and Samaria.

Shooting attacks:

Palestinian terrorists fired on a IDF vehicle in Tulkarm. No Israelis were wounded.

Palestinian terrorists opened fire on IDF soldiers in Tubas for the second consecutive day. No soldiers were wounded.

Palestinian terrorists opened fire once again on the Amichai Farm near Shiloh. No Israelis were wounded.

IED, Molotov, “rock” attacks:

Palestinian terrorists tried to kill Israelis on Road 465 near Umm Tzafa, on Road 60 south of Ofra, at Luban al-Sharqiya, at Barrier 160 between Kiryat Arba and Hevron, between Avitar and Magdalem, and at a myriad of other locations.

The U.S. : Palestinians, Palestinians, and more Palestinians . . .

It was a mixed moment yesterday as U.S. Secretary of State Blinken made the announcement that the long awaited visa exemption will be awarded to Israelis beginning November 30.

Just the facts that it has taken so long to get the exemption and taken so many concessions given to the PLO took much of the joy out of the announcement. 

Blinken’s statement–full of diplomatic babble–said it all: “Israel’s entry in the Visa Waiver program represents a critical step forward in our strategic partnership with Israel that will further strengthen long-standing people to people engagement, economic cooperation, and security cooperation between our two countries.”

Really? Israel is the 41st country to get the exemption. If the U.S. is such a great friend, why has it taken so long?

But Blinken wasn’t finished as he finally came to the main point: “This important achievement will enhance freedom of movement for U.S. citizens, including those living in the Palestinian territories or traveling to and from them.”

For the Biden Administration, the visa exemption was always all about the Palestinians.

As is the possible normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia–a fact that was underscored yesterday by U.S. State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller: “One of the things that we have communicated to our Israeli counterparts is that there will have to be a significant Palestinian component of any final agreement. The Saudi Arabian government has made that clear publicly; they’ve made it clear to us privately.”

Palestinians, Palestinians, Palestinians, in Washington, it’s all about the Palestinians. 

TODAY’S BLOG

A Shockingly Wonderful Day On The Temple Mount!

As regular readers of OneIsrael know, your humble servant posted a notice several days ago that no blog would be published on Tuesday because I was going to Jerusalem–and specifically the Temple Mount.

I thought I knew what to expect.

On my many previous visits in recent years the procedure was the same:

1. I had to stand in line before entering the Mughrabi ramp for at least an hour as 15 people at a time were admitted.

2. Once inside the “checkpoint”, my teudat zeut (Israel ID) was checked and recorded; whatever I was carrying was sent through the screening machine; a security guard told the group what we could not take to the Mount (no flags, no Torahs/Bibles, no Israeli paraphernalia whatsoever) and what we could not do when there (bowing and praying strictly prohibited); our clothes were checked for appropriate modesty (women virtually covered except for their heads/men wearing long pants); and finally we were allowed up the ramp.

3. When we reached the actual Mughrabi Gate, security officials immediately took charge, herded us to the left, and we were only allowed to walk along a narrow 10 ft walkway along the the west side of the courtyard. We were not allowed to venture out into the courtyard or to approach either the Al-Aksa Mosque or the Kipat HaSela (Dome of the Rock). After about 10 minutes we were herded out of the area and through the Cotton Gate into the Muslim Quarter.

That is what I thought was going to happen on Tuesday.

I could not have been more mistaken.

We arrived at the waiting area outside the entrance to the ramp. There were at least 100 people already there–so it looked like another long wait.

However, at 1:30 the entrance area opened, and people began entering–with virtually no wait. 

Once inside there was no ID check at all.

We put our items on the belt to run through the machine to be checked.

On the other side, there was no security guard to tell us anything about restrictions or prohibitions, and no check of our clothes.

Then we walked up the ramp.

Along the way, we stopped to look at the Kotel through the wooden slats in the ramp:

When we reached the top, we saw many Israeli security personnel:

But we walked right out onto the Mount. At that point, a representative of the Islamic Wakf checked everyone’s clothes and provided pants and dresses, etc to those who needed them:

And then, we started walking. Toward the Al Aksa Mosque. A Muslim man even came over and asked me where I was from and if I wanted to go inside.  I couldn’t believe it: isn’t the Mosque for Muslims only?  In any case, I demurred considering that I had been in the Mosque several times before back in the 1980s.

On we walked around the perimeter toward the southeastern corner and then turning left along the eastern wall of the Mount.

Then came the biggest shock of all.

Whom and what did we discover? A group of some 20 orthodox Jews praying toward the Kipat HaSela. 

That’s right. Praying. Praying with Torahs.

Breathtaking!

With the complete acquiescence of the security personnel all around.

From there we walked on toward the Lions’ Gate before turning left toward the Kipat:

and

Finally, as the time was running short, we exited through the Cotton Gate as in years past. On the way out through the Muslim Quarter we encountered a remarkable young soldier:

What to make of this remarkable visit? Whom do we have to thank for relaxing the restrictions? We can hope that this is the just the beginning–that one day in the not too distant future, we can return to full Jewish worship on the Mount.