Temple Mount Battle Ground

By Tom Brennan

Israeli police in Jerusalem face a never-ending battle to keep peace at the holiest place to three faiths.

Since 1967 the Temple Mount has been in a delicate balance between Muslims and Jews. The site is controversial to say the least. Muslims have occupied it since the 7th century and two mosques now sit on the site of Solomon’s Temple. Even after the Six Days War in 1967 Israel has been careful to not antagonize the Muslim world and has allowed the Waqf jurisdiction over the site. Jews and others have been allowed to pray at and visit the West Wall. Muslims know that to admit the existence of the Temple would be to acknowledge Israel’s history and right to exist. Israelis acknowledge that any damage to the mosques would inflame and enrage Muslims universally. Some groups within Israel have sought access to the Monument to pray and even to plan a third Temple. Yet one day Muslims riot, the next Israeli activist groups protest. The police are never without disturbances or threats of them. The Israeli police have their work cut out for them, that’s for sure.

Prior to 1967 Jews were forbidden access to the West Wall. This is the most visible remnant of the monumental foundation that Herod constructed to support the vast enclosure that held the Temple and its associated courts and structures. The Temple occupied a mountain summit and the ground was obviously uneven. A complex system of arches, staircases and retaining walls built of finely cut and executed ashlars extended the huge worship center beyond the ground that once housed Solomon’s construction. Solomon put to use the gold, cedars and other materials that his father David had assembled to build the Temple. Herod actually reconstructed the remnants of Solomon’s Temple which was destroyed by the Babylonians and repaired by Zerubbabel in the time when Nehemiah and Ezra led a remnant of Hebrews back to the shattered city. Herod enlarged and extended a basic remainder of Solomon’s works.

Today the Israeli police keep order in Israel and respond to situations that often make the news. Riots in Jerusalem earlier this summer caused residents to hold off mobs in hand to hand fighting while the police made their way into the neighborhoods. The police put down riots, guard against terrorist attacks such as suicide bombers on public transit, guard sacred sites of all faiths, and try to maintain a sense of order in the Temple Mount precinct. Recently the situation of access to the Mount and the Palestinian Authority’s manipulation of this highly emotional issue for public relations value has placed serious strains on the resources of all Israeli police and defense agencies. While the Palestinians bargain for rebuilding Gaza, they keep up a swarm of blame and accusation against Israel to take advantage of any sympathy the funding parties might have for their cause. It is also a move to demonstrate their allegiance to anti-Israel Muslim groups and even ostensibly friendly nations like the USA to negotiate away Israel’s right to claim Jerusalem as its capital and the Temple Mount as a place for prayer and commemorations.

The Israeli police do much more than give out traffic tickets and catch speeders like their Western counterparts. They are highly trained and experienced counter-terrorist professionals, intelligence gathering and interpreting specialists, rapid reaction first responders and diplomats all in one. The Israeli police have a tough job but they do it well and they do it right. We can learn much from these defenders of Israel about duty and commitment. Somehow Israel manages to keep holy places open for the faithful and keep order in a place where constant agitation from enemies is the rule. The Israeli police are every day heroes every day.

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