Somethings are better left alone is not a motto very often heard from would be peacemakers at the U.N. They need to feel that peace is making progress or there is risk they could attempt further pressures against Israel. There is a need to decisively end the conflict because the risk of continued conflict means continued pressure by world governments and international trade pitfalls. Conversely, resolving the Palestinian matter, would remove the pretext for such pressure.
Post Iraq War, there is a mood of proactive resolution of conflicts by multilateral negotiations via the U.N. whether or not such deals are effective, there is a desire for deals at all cost. The fact that U.N. involvement in a conflict may only makes things worse, does not prevent them from wanting to try and try again even harder. The fact that belligerent nations like to ride the wake of U.N. movement in and out of a troubled region does not seem to make the U.N. change policy either.
The only thing that would change U.N. policy toward Israel, is that a legal peace plan is in place, even if only as a long term process. If Israel were able to implement a legal One State solution, in a way that got many Palestinian Arabs on board, even if it was not a Two State Solution, it would remove U.N. pressure as we know it today. This is politically viable as the naturalization amnesty would be seen as a boon by many Palestinian Arabs in the territories today. Terrorists would then become a negative thing again to the U.N., since it would be the Palestinian Arabs themselves who would suffer if such a One State solution was NOT implemented.
The key parameter is that a One State Solution be comprehensive and whole. If even one scrap of contested land remained afterwards, the pressure at the U.N. would not likely stop. The only way to end this is to do so conclusively. The full annexation of Judea, Samaria and Gaza with the naturalization of Arabs who are willing to display loyalty to Israel, and the filtering and rejection of terrorist elements among them.
Then there would be no pretext for political pressure and financial boycott. No more potential for chaotic nations using perceived failures at the U.N. as part of a pretext for war. No more need for perpetual hasbara, just to try to have fair and balanced reporting. Hasbara would then be more about encouraging travel and aliyah than the bitter struggle for international fair play in politics and trade that it is today.
Then Israel could save the Arabs of Judea and Samaria from their despotic leaders, distance terrorists from Israel's heartland, and clean away the current tarnish to Israel's reputation all at once. In other words, have true peace at last. May it soon be so, by the grace of God.
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
By What Standard Compromise?
For 2000 years the Jews have had one method of prayer at the Western Wall, as one congregation. The new compromise to cater to some Reform activists is not religious in nature but political. Only the Rabbis of Israel should be deciding what to do with the holy sites, not foreign based religious interest groups and secular politicians working around the rabbinical authorities which by law, should have say.
Tearing apart a congregation to make a bunch of different prayer groups like this is not just inconvenient, but is actually a violation of a Torah law. Only the greatest Rabbis of Israel could hope to somehow find a workaround that does not assault Torah values in addition to millennia long customs of peaceful assembly by all denominations of Judaism in a united congregation. In lieu of that, the compromise is an offensive assault on Jewish unity for the sake of the freedom of small groups of worshipers, as meanwhile, the Temple Mount itself, the actual Holy of Holies of the Jewish people, remains truly free only to Muslims. If no workaround can be found by the Rabbis of Israel, then no compromise at all should be done.
When will the government stop trying to hinder Jewish freedom of religion on the Temple Mount? Politically inconvenient, no problem, compromise somewhere else. The problem is, the government has been compromising the rights of Jews to practice their faith on the Temple Mount since 1967. The current government has continued in that tradition.
But the longer tradition of Jewish unity is the tradition that should be upheld. In the video below, it can be viewed how Jews assembled united at the Wall before the Wall plaza was built, this back in 1945....
Tearing apart a congregation to make a bunch of different prayer groups like this is not just inconvenient, but is actually a violation of a Torah law. Only the greatest Rabbis of Israel could hope to somehow find a workaround that does not assault Torah values in addition to millennia long customs of peaceful assembly by all denominations of Judaism in a united congregation. In lieu of that, the compromise is an offensive assault on Jewish unity for the sake of the freedom of small groups of worshipers, as meanwhile, the Temple Mount itself, the actual Holy of Holies of the Jewish people, remains truly free only to Muslims. If no workaround can be found by the Rabbis of Israel, then no compromise at all should be done.
When will the government stop trying to hinder Jewish freedom of religion on the Temple Mount? Politically inconvenient, no problem, compromise somewhere else. The problem is, the government has been compromising the rights of Jews to practice their faith on the Temple Mount since 1967. The current government has continued in that tradition.
But the longer tradition of Jewish unity is the tradition that should be upheld. In the video below, it can be viewed how Jews assembled united at the Wall before the Wall plaza was built, this back in 1945....
May the government of Israel allow the Rabbis of Israel to run the Jewish religion rather than secular politicians. May it soon be so, by the grace of God.
Thursday, February 11, 2016
Speaking Opportunities
Need a speaker or forming a panel discussion on Israel?
You can contact me, Professor Friedlander, to join in. In addition to being a former adjunct professor of Political Science I am also an Orthodox Rabbi so I can bring a new dimension to a panel discussion, to mix with the other speakers that you have been planning to invite, for a more diverse range of views.
I am currently based in New York.
Please E-mail me.
You can contact me, Professor Friedlander, to join in. In addition to being a former adjunct professor of Political Science I am also an Orthodox Rabbi so I can bring a new dimension to a panel discussion, to mix with the other speakers that you have been planning to invite, for a more diverse range of views.
I am currently based in New York.
Please E-mail me.
Monday, January 18, 2016
Filtration of Terror Rather than Mere Separation
The Prime Minister's office pledged to catch the most recent murderer. But to fully police terror, there should not just be a policy to avenge it, but to prevent it as well. Not merely in the failed ways of the past. Build a wall, hide behind it, try to catch anyone going over it, chase down anybody you miss. There is potential temptation to rest on accomplishments, as the current method in preventing terror has a 99 percent success rate. But as good as that may sound, and as heroic every such success is, it has still meant 29 murdered Israelis, in the past 3 months alone. By implementing the proper filtration of terrorists, the violence could come to a standstill.
Buried today, slain mother of 6, Daphna Meir, who was brutally murdered in front of 3 of her children. The stabbing terrorist tried to go after her daughter next, but the blade became stuck, and then with a heroic effort she shoved the door shut against the man and locked him out of her house, before bleeding out before her screaming children, saving them from directly sharing in her fate.
We pray that God will avenge her blood. But we must not be fatalistic about that blood. We must not create vigilantes by being passive against innocent bloodshed when action is sorely needed. Do not say in a que sera, sera spirit, that this cannot be helped. Let the vivid sacrifice of Daphna and the 28 other martyrs awaken you. Humble yourself from what you thought you knew about security, and ask how this can be stopped.
Don't discuss political capitulation. That is how Labor governments became codependents to terror in the past. Besides, there is no more illusion that it could even be an option.
Now let the illusion, that the security status quo is good enough, also depart.
Forget about saying, "You can't fault 99 percent success." Yes, you can fault it; 29 times in the past few months alone, you can only criticize.
The case of Daphna Meir's murder highlights this glaring reality. This was not a terrorist tunnel assault. It was a guest worker in her home town. He was there WITH CONSENT of current Israeli security measures. Things must change. They undoubtedly will. But it must be without bureaucratic delays and in the right manner.
One such option is the method that I wrote of as a part of the Everyone Wins peace plan. A terrorist filter would have to weigh:
"...intel and acceptable probabilities. ...For those who are less of a risk but still a gray area, we consider a system of acceptable probabilities of loyalty. Acceptable probabilities are the expertise of actuaries and similar specialists. Just as credit card companies have a method to determine one's credit score and probable trust ratio, the same process can be held for people who are trustworthy enough to reach this level of appraisal."
If not flag waving, Zionist loving loyalty, at least law abiding fidelity must be ensured of any guest worker, OR THEY DON'T WORK HERE!
The bitter consequences of failure to implement such a protocol are now all too obvious. But the key is that the leaders of Israel not keep looking in the wrong direction to fix things.
This dilemma in no way calls for a political capitulation nor does it call for a military assault, but simply for preventative police action. That should be the easiest of options, but only if the Knesset looks at it that way. May it soon be so, by the grace of God.
The bitter consequences of failure to implement such a protocol are now all too obvious. But the key is that the leaders of Israel not keep looking in the wrong direction to fix things.
This dilemma in no way calls for a political capitulation nor does it call for a military assault, but simply for preventative police action. That should be the easiest of options, but only if the Knesset looks at it that way. May it soon be so, by the grace of God.
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Peace Before Multilateralism
Diplomacy is the pursuit of a patient exploration of the emotions and freely chosen needs and priorities of all sides in a dispute. Bilateralism is two sides talking it out. Multilateralism is many countries working toward a common goal. Often peacemaking. Theoretically, a friendly but non partial third party helping one side to negotiate with the party with whom it is involved in a conflict with can fall under Multilateralism. They are both thus all but synonymous with diplomacy. But it is not the full measure of diplomacy. Multilateralism and it's younger sister, bilateralism, are useful tools; actually, more than that, the prefered methods of diplomacy. But not the true goal of honest diplomacy, which is peace.
Historically, we find that whenever political hawks are criticizing diplomats for being too left wing, what they are really saying is that, there is a certainty that continued pursuit of this line of diplomacy will surely bring further violence, not less violence. For example, when Yugoslavia was negotiated away, sacrificed on the altar as a peace offering to the Nazi regime during the prelude to World War 2. Those talks were multilateral, which for those obsessed with the trappings of peace, as Neville Chamberlain was, should have been a sure fired guarantee of peace. Indeed, he cried out "Peace in our time." Due to the dedicated pursuit of the highest ideals of multilateralism, only without regard to the goals of diplomacy: true peace.
It is easy to confuse multilateralism for peacemaking, as 99 percent of the time, that is the way to go. The only proper path to go to get a diplomatic process moving and keep it on track. But there is an inherent dependency within multilateralism. All sides need to be willing to negotiate in good faith. There is no way around that for any peace deal signed to not be destined to fail from the very start.
Like a basketball team with less time on the game clock than the shot clock, if the team gets distracted on the current methodology of trying to run it's offense, the game may end before they get to shoot any shot at all towards the basket. Which would be worse than at least firing off a low percentage shot. If the players lose track of time, the game will end very badly. If not, there is a hope for success. Similarly, a diplomat must focus on the greater goal of true peace at all times, even if the minutiae of keeping the diplomatic process going, is the very air that the diplomat breathes. If war breaks out because of the very diplomacy, then it is better that there had been no diplomacy at all to begin with.
In the negotiations with the Palestinian Authority, time is about to run out, and Israel must consider a unilateralistic approach that can actually prevent war, rather than continue with multilateral or bilateral diplomacy that only gives terrorists a chance to win the fight to make more innocent blood be spilt.
Palestinian Arab leadership must conform to the rules of multinational civilization, not merely pan Arabic conquest, to be a real peace partner with Israel. Relationship building with a group of people who think they need not be civilized at the end of diplomacy, ends the hopes for peace. Whereas, inviting them to realize they cannot get away that, begins a workable relationship framework from which to build a mutual relationship towards a true and lasting peace. Even if these steps must be unilateral, Israel acting on it's own, if it furthers the cause of peace, that is a very good thing. That is the very goal of ideal diplomacy.
The goal of ideal diplomacy, is peacemaking. Not the even handed alignment of interests for its own sake. Therefore poor diplomats will repeat ad nauseum the mantra of multilateralism while good diplomats will know when to not interfere with a cessation of negotiations with a pro terroristic leadership. Good diplomats will support a low percentage shot that at least gives the team a chance to win, even if it is a unilateral approach.
May the wisdom of this be accepted by all that need to understand it. So that Israel is not any longer goaded by it's allies into being a sacrifice for peace, in it's own land. May that idolatry end forever. May it very soon be so, by the grace of God.
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Middle East Peace Plan Comparison Chart, Updated Edition
B'Ezras HaShem Yisborach, by the grace of God, in today's post I've updated the popular Jerusalem Defender peace plan comparison chart to include my assessment of the Caroline Glick peace plan. There are now a total of eight other proposed peace plans that are included in this latest version of the chart, all compared using the same six criteria that I have evaluated my Everyone Wins Peace Plan through.
Caroline Glick's proposed plan is very wise in several areas. It is unilateral and does not depend on bilateral negotiations with arch terrorists and their supporters. It also does not propose to ignore Scriptural "intel" that forewarns the world that Israel is going to have Judean and Samarian ("West Bank") territories no matter what people try to negotiate away, so it prevents running down a diplomatic path that would be doomed to fail from the start. It further does not destroy current societal configurations as most other peace plan suggestions of the past would. Most importantly, it ends the possibility of those territories being used as staging ground for a war against Israel. This is a plan that actually has a chance to work.
The main issues I have with Caroline Glick's proposed plan are that it does not, to my knowledge, demand that current criminals are filtered before given an option to naturalize into Israeli society, and it seems to kick the can of the entire Gaza Strip issue down the road.
I believe that you have to filter out terrorists if you are going to naturalize the Palestinian Arabs. You can't naturalize terrorists. As I wrote before, "The beginning of peace does not come by the placation of terror; that is it's anathema."
I am also for a more decisive conclusion to the conflict with the Palestinian Arabs that does not allow for war over this issue ever again. As long as Gaza is still out there, what do you think a Hamastan would desire a few years down the road? Not trade and peace, that's for sure. If Fatah could not be trusted for peace, how can you possibly hope to trust Hamas? It seems as if this part of the plan is a manufactured vehicle to avoid naturalizing the Arabs of Gaza, not an actual solution based on a consistent policy. If policy accurately emanates from truly noble principles, consistency should rarely be a problem. We do not need to rely on such a conveniency as this.
The process of naturalization, I feel, must be as methodical as necessary to not risk Israeli electoral balance or anything else. Using the slow nature of bureaucracy to everyone's benefit, we can reduce dangerous mistakes that could cost bundles of cash, or even lives. Trying to fix it all overnight is not as good as selecting the correct path as soon as possible, but then taking the time to implement it as wisely as possible.
The Glick plan proposes to save the Arabs of Judea and Samaria from despotic leaders, but abandon their cousins in Gaza to that very fate. It calls for increasing the Arabic voting ratio within "Green Line" Israel, giving them more votes than today, but my Everyone Wins plan calls for maintaining current voting ratio levels in the State of Israel.
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A Summary of the "Everyone Wins" Peace Plan can be found at theses URLs:
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Thursday, October 8, 2015
Israel Needs a Change of Strategy
To end Palestinian Arab violence, Israel must do it's part to end it's inadvertent support for it via inappropriate police action. The focus has been on how to chase down active terrorists and avenge bloodshed. Only incremental changes are required on that front. But a major shift of strategic goals is required to provide a long term and conclusive solution. The main problem in the policing of the current stabbings is not in the Tactical minutiae, but primarily broad based Strategic blunders that have bottle-necked Israel into the current predicament. To put it bluntly, a change of the rules of the game is in order. Stop empowering Fatah to support terror by disavowing it as a potential peace partner.
The Knesset has to do more. But it's important to know what needs only a tweak here and there and what needs upheaval level of change. They should not merely announce how brave a random policeman was, as wonderful as that is. Or that it demolished another home of another terrorist. This is just treading water, not fixing the fundamental problem. I'm not a big fan of destroying homes, either, though. Take it over, sell it, and then give the proceeds to families of terror victims. That would be a better method to deal with the homes of terrorists. But the main fix that is needed is in the big picture.
Tell Abbas, three strikes and you are out. The Palestinian Authority is the PLO; a terrorist group posing as politicians, and by repeated intifadas, it has proven that it's alleged retraction of support for terror, in preparation for the Oslo Accords, was a lie that it could not maintain. The boss always lets the enforcer get his hands dirty so he can seem innocent. That is all that Abbas is doing. A politician in sheep's clothing. And he was always viewed as the supposed moderate in Arafat's camp.
Every lie has a shelf life, apparently. They would not have dared lie so badly if they thought it would lead to this. They did not expect it to take this long. 20 years and they still have not broken Israel's spirit. They have not rewritten the truth with a million and one lies. Imagine the past 20 years are a resume and today Israel was sitting down with Fatah for the first time to establish a peace deal. There is no partner in peace. It's clear now that there never was.
Therefore to support even administrative Fatah rule over the territories is to, in part, support eventual terror against the State of Israel and the immediate outpouring of slander and libelous deception against the rights of Jews to be in their homeland.
My apologies to those who are terrified of demographics, but there is no other way to view it.
End support of Palestinian Arabic violence by annexing the territories today, as Caroline Glick has called for. Only with 3 additional vital provisions. 1) A filter to remove terrorists from the naturalization process, and to completely resolve matters, 2) include Gaza among the territories you plan to annex, but 3) naturalize slow enough to not endanger Israeli electoral balance or anything else, off setting it with the increased immigration due to the natural boon to aliyah that true peace would bring. Thus all fears of demographic dangers will be proven fallacious. The new united State of Israel will be stronger than ever and just as Jewish and democratic if not more so. There also will be no one over the green line that someone in Europe is weeping over for, mistakenly believing that they are in some kind of a concentration camp, when they are more likely in a shopping mall.
Until you get the gradual absorption process completed, a group of Israelis, primarily consisting of Arabs, should govern the territories during the several years it will take to do this safely. Once the appointment is controlled by the democratically elected Knesset, a closer version of democracy will immediately be felt by the residents of the territories until full inclusion into the democratic state of Israel can be fully implemented.
Put all fears aside and do not stand idly by the blood of your fellow. This is the path to end the terror within Israel's border and keep it away. Fight terror and also avoid future causes of discontent via this annexation and slow but sure naturalization. You can't get there any other way. As I have written before, "The beginning of peace does not come by the placation of terror; that is it's anathema. At it's end, there must neither be the destruction of innocent societies."
For the past eight years I called such a plan, the Everyone Wins peace plan. But whatever you call it, it needs to be done as soon as possible. It's dangerous not to. Therefore there is no time like now to get it done. May it soon be so, by the grace of God.
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Temple Mount Status Quo Fuel of Violence
I do not blame antisemitism alone as the source for all anti Israel media bias. There is antisemitism in the world today, no doubt. There are people who hate Israel for no good reason and some are even in the media as well. But there is a another reason on a deeper level behind this.
Well what can that reason be? And how do we know this to be so? Even some friends of Democracy and freedom of religion are showing bias against Israel. And that's the problem, it's not the media all people know or strongly suspect to be antisemitic, it is the moderate media that is mimicking them that is the main problem that causes the current hasbara nightmare out there. Why? Everyone knows that Israel tried it's best to install a negotiated peace deal. So everyone knows that Israel does not hate peace. Everyone knows you can't hate Jews, that's antisemitism. You can't hate Judaism, that's culture bias. So why?
Go back in time before the recent stabbing attacks began. It began on the Temple Mount. Jews prayed there, and the Arabs complained, but no outbreak of stabbings. The Knesset reiterated support of the current status quo on the Temple Mount and only then this new dimension of terror ensued. Why? Is it true that the status quo is fair? No, the Temple Mount is the Jews' Holy of Holies, literally. You can't say any religion has more rights to Mecca than Islam, and you can't say any religion has more rights to the Temple Mount than the Jews. At least if truth is the agenda.
Now for any deception to be believed by a friend, against you, it must have a ring of truth, otherwise the friend would never stoop to that level.
It is not because your friends hate you that they speak against you. It is because they are basing it on what you spoke against yourself and against God's holy mountain.
"What has happened in the city over the past few days and weeks is heartbreaking and must be strongly condemned. Let me be clear; those who wish to turn the tragedy between us into a religious war have blood on their hands."
If only the president stopped there, yet he continued,
This doctrine of the Israeli political center is a can of worms. A fuel for the problem. It brings in the concept of Freedom of Religion to the forum of Palestinian Arabic attempts to establish statehood. But in truth, this is a lie. It is exclusively the Jews' Holy of Holies! Stop trying to share what you have no mandate to share. Let our rabbis lead in this.
If only the president stopped there, yet he continued,
"We hear again and again, lies about Israel's intentions toward the holy mountain - holy to Jews and Muslims. So again, I say clearly, Israel has no intention to change the status quo. But this status quo - this important understanding - needs two sides to keep it.”
President Rivlin stressed that Israel would “continue to respect Muslim prayer at the site, the Mosque and the Shrine. But Muslims must respect the Jewish connection to Jerusalem, the Jews who live in Jerusalem, and the Jews who visit its holy sites. Only then can we begin – Jews, Muslims, and Christians - to live like we did before , together in the city of Jerusalem and all the holy land.”
And it is this doctrine that the current government has been handing out to the very terrorists that plague our nation. The doctrine of minimizing legitimate Jewish claim to the Holy Mountain for the sake of friendliness to your neighbor, at the expense of abusing your family. Stop that now! The politicians should stop interfering in Judaism and ask the Rabbis how to proceed from here. Stop this foreign worship of a foreign policy, and things will immediately begin to get better.
You can say, "We tried to share this holy mountain with our Arab neighbors, but they themselves do not wish to share. Under those circumstances, we must reclaim our Holy of Holies. From now on, no stranger shall approach this holy mountain, as per the Will of the Creator who bestowed this mountain to our forefathers as an everlasting abode for the Temple worship we direct towards Him. Before Isaiah's prophecy of "a House of Prayer for all people" can occur, the words of Joel must first be adhered to. "And you shall know that I, the Lord your God, does dwell in Zion, My holy mount, and Jerusalem shall be holy, and strangers shall no longer pass through there."
This would reverse the co-option of Freedom of Religion as a fuel for violence, and turn it into a source of peace in the world, as true religion was always meant to be. May it soon be so, by the grace of God.
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Toward a Unified Policy on the Temple Mount
Would you ask a Christian if you could replace the main sanctuary of his church with a synagogue? If not, then why should Jews allow a Mosque on the place reserved by God for His Holy Temple? And when God has tied world peace to the rebuilding of the Jews' Temple, on it's reserved place, on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, this call for fair play is much more than that. It is indeed an imperative, our communal call for Divine mercy to descend upon all humanity, to finally remove the scourge of war from this blessed planet, and protect the lives of all innocent among the wondrous creations, built in the image of God, by the blessed Creator Himself.
The Temple is a seal of approval from Heaven and acknowledgement from humankind that God is real and God is with us and we accept His Will. The Temple Mount has for thousands of years been the reserved location for a third Temple. The prophecies could only be speaking of a Temple that has not yet been built so far, as it is tied to the time of world peace,
The Temple is a seal of approval from Heaven and acknowledgement from humankind that God is real and God is with us and we accept His Will. The Temple Mount has for thousands of years been the reserved location for a third Temple. The prophecies could only be speaking of a Temple that has not yet been built so far, as it is tied to the time of world peace,
"And it shall be at the end of the days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be firmly established at the top of the mountains, and it shall be raised above the hills, and all the nations shall stream to it. And many peoples shall go, and they shall say, "Come, let us go up to the Lord's mount, to the house of the God of Jacob, and let Him teach us of His ways, and we will go in His paths," for out of Zion shall the Torah come forth, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge between the nations and reprove many peoples, and they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift the sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore." (Isaiah, Chapter 2)
There are those who are for freedom of Jewish worship on the Temple Mount today. Jewish prayer groups just as there are Muslim ones. But in Talmudic Law, that movement is problematic for the following reasons.
First if a place is reserved for one religion, to share it equally is an assault on the religion to whom the site is most holy. If no Church in Mecca or Mosque in the Vatican, then no Mosque on the Temple Mount either.
Second, a more nuanced matter, while these Temple Mount activists mean very well, and are making a profound nationalistic political statement, and are trying to adhere to a great rabbi's opinion, not just doing only as they desire for nationalism. But as I have stated before they should not be going on the Temple mount for this activism. The majority of Rabbis say it is still forbidden for any human to go there until the Biblical methods of purification are reinstituted. They consider it an act of desecration, not holiness with each visit to the Temple Mount under current circumstances. By Torah Law, the halacha must follow the majority of the great rabbis of a generation. Therefore the activists, and we as a nation, should not rely on a minority view to represent a place where all of the eternal religious aspirations of our entire nation are focused on.
There are those who are for freedom of Jewish worship on the Temple Mount today. Jewish prayer groups just as there are Muslim ones. But in Talmudic Law, that movement is problematic for the following reasons.
First if a place is reserved for one religion, to share it equally is an assault on the religion to whom the site is most holy. If no Church in Mecca or Mosque in the Vatican, then no Mosque on the Temple Mount either.
Second, a more nuanced matter, while these Temple Mount activists mean very well, and are making a profound nationalistic political statement, and are trying to adhere to a great rabbi's opinion, not just doing only as they desire for nationalism. But as I have stated before they should not be going on the Temple mount for this activism. The majority of Rabbis say it is still forbidden for any human to go there until the Biblical methods of purification are reinstituted. They consider it an act of desecration, not holiness with each visit to the Temple Mount under current circumstances. By Torah Law, the halacha must follow the majority of the great rabbis of a generation. Therefore the activists, and we as a nation, should not rely on a minority view to represent a place where all of the eternal religious aspirations of our entire nation are focused on.
I agree, it's important to claim it as our own. But rather than allowing only those who follow Rav Goren's heter (dispensation) to do the work for us, we need to find a way to do this together. If we find a common ground we can have a universal policy by religious Jews for the Temple Mount. The imperative to widen the Temple Mount movement is clear from both religious and political perspectives.
The method of doing so, I suggest, would be for now to place a full blanket prohibition of any humans on the Mount for the time being.
Now that most not just some Rabbis are saying that Moshiach (the messiah) is coming soon, it's not too much to demand this from the followers of Rav Goren, to temporarily close it down to all traffic for the sake of a unified policy and message. But this is only possible if it is clear we are doing this for God's honor, as told to the prophets of Israel. If we try to continue with the old policy of equal freedom of religion on the place of inner sanctum of the greatest of all synagogues, we are failing to keep our faith as God clearly intended for us.
Now that most not just some Rabbis are saying that Moshiach (the messiah) is coming soon, it's not too much to demand this from the followers of Rav Goren, to temporarily close it down to all traffic for the sake of a unified policy and message. But this is only possible if it is clear we are doing this for God's honor, as told to the prophets of Israel. If we try to continue with the old policy of equal freedom of religion on the place of inner sanctum of the greatest of all synagogues, we are failing to keep our faith as God clearly intended for us.
If we continue to fight as a small group of Maccabees, but in competing directions, politically we cannot expect to mirror the success of the Maccabees with such incredibly well intended but effectually contentious behavior.
The Temple Mount prayer now movement is trying to fight the good fight, but it is not the rebellion against Hellenism it is intended to be. Effectively speaking, it is separation from the majority of rabbinical support, and thus a majority of religious Jewish support. Consequently, it is a part of the division of religious defense of the very Temple Mount rights it proposes to defend. But not from evil, only from an ineffective political stance, at the risk of angering a majority of the very religious constituency the movement requires in order to grow.
The Temple Mount prayer now movement is trying to fight the good fight, but it is not the rebellion against Hellenism it is intended to be. Effectively speaking, it is separation from the majority of rabbinical support, and thus a majority of religious Jewish support. Consequently, it is a part of the division of religious defense of the very Temple Mount rights it proposes to defend. But not from evil, only from an ineffective political stance, at the risk of angering a majority of the very religious constituency the movement requires in order to grow.
By uniting to place a full blanket prohibition of any humans on the Mount for the time being, this new hybrid Temple Mount Movement could easily quadruple enrollment overnight. And without disrespecting the majority rabbinical position, many people of conviction would be enabled to step forth to join the new movement. One based on consensus building with that segment of society that would house the majority pool of ardent activists.
To remove Divine wrath against the world that war may forever be removed from the Earth, we first need to remove the excuses and false fears that prevent us from making this a priority. And as making this a priority is guaranteed by God to usher in the era of world peace, to fail to do so should be recognized as a crime. To fail to do so should be recognized as an anathema to the project of the continued path of human enlightenment and world peace. We should do that which will bring humanity the Divine blessing of world peace, the building of the Third great Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. May it soon be so, B'Ezras HaShem Yisborach, by the grace of God.
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
The "Everyone Loses" Nuclear Agreement with Iran
Analysts that try to put a positive spin on this Yes Nukes deal with Iran will for the most part be found wanting if the deal is implemented. It is important for Congress to take a stand here to fix this very bad deal. If not, it boxes Israel in a corner and that is not in the interests of peace either.
If congress is able to cancel this agreement, they may seek a compromise solution of editing and limiting the agreement rather than to repeal it entirely. It all depends on how many democrats take this for the serious threat to national security that it is. Although the President should have the right to conduct foreign policy, it must be on behalf of American interests, and this agreement does not seem to pass that test. Although it's best for America to look decisive, it's vital for America to not be self-destructive, nor the diplomatic epicenter of World War III.
Outright rejection of the treaty would be preferred, as it would act as a gentle form of censure of the President for risking national security so brazenly.
If congress is unable to act, the only good thing is that now there will be no room to allow Iran to continue to get away with it once they violate it and everyone not high on diplomatic euphoria knows that they will. The moral outrage of a broken deal is the only thing left that can wake a left wing in the West that is preoccupied and distracted from the clear evil intentions of the Iranian regime. Unfortunately that may mean a war somewhat akin to World War III, but that is where Western leaders have joyfully allowed Iran to lead them.
Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif made a statement today, calling this a Win-Win agreement and historic. He said, "We are reaching an agreement that is not perfect for anybody, but it is what we could accomplish," Zarif continued, "and it is an important achievement for all of us. Today could have been the end of hope on this issue. But now we are starting a new chapter of hope."
If you wish to translate through the obfuscation, just reverse everything he said and then you'll come out with the truth. It is a lose-lose agreement that begins the loss of hope of avoiding war.
Meanwhile President Obama has stated he did this deal to prevent a spiral into war, but unfortunately it is very likely to provide just the opposite. The deal would have had to be much tougher to prevent war. Now the President has written that spiral into war into a treaty.
Without any moral reversal of their hatred for America and Israel, Iran is to be allowed Nuclear Research and Development and Missile production as RIGHTS.
Inspections would have to have zero notice capability to have meaning. Iran is to be given weeks. (See Annex 1.78 for details. It would take 14 days to request Iran to CONSIDER meeting IAEA requests for an inspection, and another 7 days to set a committee to deal with the issue, and 3 days for Iran to respond, and thus to be able to compel Iran, from time of complaint until the last day Iran could get away with delaying compliance, it would be a total of 24 days!) More than enough time to hide things that could embarrass any signatory of this deal, but not meaningful to prevent nukes. Depending on diplomatic matters and procedure more than inspection imperatives can only bring disaster. There are other loopholes as well.
Meanwhile they continue to threaten Israel and hold American citizens in their prisons.
As Prime Minister Netanyahu pointed out, giving billions in sanctions relief to Iran even as they pledge to continue their unofficial war against the West, will undoubtedly be used to immediately bolster funding of terror throughout the world.
There is too much wiggle room for Iran and too little reassurances to Israel to avoid conflict. There is a very good chance that Israel would have to strike sooner than they would have liked to, since there would no longer be the USA as a giant shot blocker in the background helping Israel to defend the basket.
Whether they are attacked by Israel first or not, Iran could be planning to attempt to strike at a dozen nations at once rather than fight a traditional bi-national war, considering their affiliated international terrorist network. Israel has the right to defend itself under international law. But in forcing them into this hole, against a country they can wound but not overwhelm with one conventional strike, Obama, has unwittingly perhaps set the stage for a protracted multinational war. The calling of US troops into harms way is an inevitable 3rd act to this play as it currently is written.
Thus the only way to avoid war is if Congress takes a stand. It's time for the Legislative branch of government to step up and limit the error of the Executive branch. Optimally, they should cancel the agreement. Minimally, edit it.
Congress can still override President Obama's veto and overturn this decree against peace in the world. May it soon be so, by the grace of God.
If congress is able to cancel this agreement, they may seek a compromise solution of editing and limiting the agreement rather than to repeal it entirely. It all depends on how many democrats take this for the serious threat to national security that it is. Although the President should have the right to conduct foreign policy, it must be on behalf of American interests, and this agreement does not seem to pass that test. Although it's best for America to look decisive, it's vital for America to not be self-destructive, nor the diplomatic epicenter of World War III.
Outright rejection of the treaty would be preferred, as it would act as a gentle form of censure of the President for risking national security so brazenly.
If congress is unable to act, the only good thing is that now there will be no room to allow Iran to continue to get away with it once they violate it and everyone not high on diplomatic euphoria knows that they will. The moral outrage of a broken deal is the only thing left that can wake a left wing in the West that is preoccupied and distracted from the clear evil intentions of the Iranian regime. Unfortunately that may mean a war somewhat akin to World War III, but that is where Western leaders have joyfully allowed Iran to lead them.
Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif made a statement today, calling this a Win-Win agreement and historic. He said, "We are reaching an agreement that is not perfect for anybody, but it is what we could accomplish," Zarif continued, "and it is an important achievement for all of us. Today could have been the end of hope on this issue. But now we are starting a new chapter of hope."
If you wish to translate through the obfuscation, just reverse everything he said and then you'll come out with the truth. It is a lose-lose agreement that begins the loss of hope of avoiding war.
Meanwhile President Obama has stated he did this deal to prevent a spiral into war, but unfortunately it is very likely to provide just the opposite. The deal would have had to be much tougher to prevent war. Now the President has written that spiral into war into a treaty.
Without any moral reversal of their hatred for America and Israel, Iran is to be allowed Nuclear Research and Development and Missile production as RIGHTS.
Inspections would have to have zero notice capability to have meaning. Iran is to be given weeks. (See Annex 1.78 for details. It would take 14 days to request Iran to CONSIDER meeting IAEA requests for an inspection, and another 7 days to set a committee to deal with the issue, and 3 days for Iran to respond, and thus to be able to compel Iran, from time of complaint until the last day Iran could get away with delaying compliance, it would be a total of 24 days!) More than enough time to hide things that could embarrass any signatory of this deal, but not meaningful to prevent nukes. Depending on diplomatic matters and procedure more than inspection imperatives can only bring disaster. There are other loopholes as well.
Meanwhile they continue to threaten Israel and hold American citizens in their prisons.
As Prime Minister Netanyahu pointed out, giving billions in sanctions relief to Iran even as they pledge to continue their unofficial war against the West, will undoubtedly be used to immediately bolster funding of terror throughout the world.
There is too much wiggle room for Iran and too little reassurances to Israel to avoid conflict. There is a very good chance that Israel would have to strike sooner than they would have liked to, since there would no longer be the USA as a giant shot blocker in the background helping Israel to defend the basket.
Whether they are attacked by Israel first or not, Iran could be planning to attempt to strike at a dozen nations at once rather than fight a traditional bi-national war, considering their affiliated international terrorist network. Israel has the right to defend itself under international law. But in forcing them into this hole, against a country they can wound but not overwhelm with one conventional strike, Obama, has unwittingly perhaps set the stage for a protracted multinational war. The calling of US troops into harms way is an inevitable 3rd act to this play as it currently is written.
Thus the only way to avoid war is if Congress takes a stand. It's time for the Legislative branch of government to step up and limit the error of the Executive branch. Optimally, they should cancel the agreement. Minimally, edit it.
Congress can still override President Obama's veto and overturn this decree against peace in the world. May it soon be so, by the grace of God.
Monday, July 6, 2015
The Racism of a Two State Solution
Rabbi Kahane wanted to offer Arabs money to relocate from Israel and was called a racist. What then do you call those who want to relocate Jews from Judea and Samaria, the land of their forefathers, without compensation? Jews not being welcomed to remain in their homes under a proposed Fatah ruled West Bank. A true definition of apartheid, yet perhaps because it's against Jews, not enough people are speaking of it.
President Obama is mocking the memory of activists from the Civil Rights Movement.
Attempts to make a One State Solution are falsely labeled apartheid, even if they are the antithesis.
Obama is acting like a White Democrat clone out of the 1950s, not a thinking person able to think beyond the party line. I expected more from him. Who would not.
People like Martin Luther King were not just activists but also humanitarians. They worked for the betterment of mankind, based on objective God given standards and not an arrogant agenda based solely on where they personally felt mankind needed to go. Why is this trait lacking from the White House?
God gave the Holy Land to the Jews, so let them live there in peace. Stop supporting lies against them and against the Zionist project. Because the policy of anti Zionism is apartheid and therefore anti Zionism is based in racism.
To give you a better understanding of the foundations to my perspective, I'm now in my second marriage. In my first, I was married to an Orthodox Jewish woman who happened to be African American. For the first two and half years of my life as a married man my expectation in my fulfilling the commandment of being fruitful and multiplying would be to create, in all likelihood, beautiful black Jewish babies. Unfortunately that marriage did not work out, but it still had a profound impact upon me. It also provided me with personal experience of the real world difference between racism and the absence of racism.
President Obama's current policy for Israel of a Two State solution is a racist policy. If it did not start that way, it has become so. He needs to stand down from his current path or go down in history as a symbol of hypocrisy in governance and moral equivalence.
MAYBE a couple decades ago you could get away with supporting a Two State solution. But when not only Hamas but even Fatah intends to not allow Jewish freedom in a proposed Palestinian State or even recognize Jews in a state of their own, an imbalance against the Jews exists. Separating my backyard from my neighbors is not racism. Segregating half of my neighbor's backyard into a backyard for me and for him, only for my benefit, is Apartheid. That is what is being suggested against the Jews of Judea and Samaria. The leaders of Israel need to accept this and incorporate it into their policy if they have not yet done so.
Obama would likely be called a racist by the time honored standards held dear to civil rights activists 65 years ago. But this need not be his legacy, he can still back off and return to the fold. May it soon be so, by the grace of God.
President Obama is mocking the memory of activists from the Civil Rights Movement.
- 1900-54 White Democrats attempt to legalize discrimination against African Americans via Segregation in USA schools.
- 2008-2015 An African American Democrat President attempts to encourage discrimination against Jews in the Holy Land via Segregation within said Holy Land so Arabs who never had a country there can make a country where Jews are not welcome in the very land of their forefathers.
Attempts to make a One State Solution are falsely labeled apartheid, even if they are the antithesis.
Obama is acting like a White Democrat clone out of the 1950s, not a thinking person able to think beyond the party line. I expected more from him. Who would not.
People like Martin Luther King were not just activists but also humanitarians. They worked for the betterment of mankind, based on objective God given standards and not an arrogant agenda based solely on where they personally felt mankind needed to go. Why is this trait lacking from the White House?
God gave the Holy Land to the Jews, so let them live there in peace. Stop supporting lies against them and against the Zionist project. Because the policy of anti Zionism is apartheid and therefore anti Zionism is based in racism.
To give you a better understanding of the foundations to my perspective, I'm now in my second marriage. In my first, I was married to an Orthodox Jewish woman who happened to be African American. For the first two and half years of my life as a married man my expectation in my fulfilling the commandment of being fruitful and multiplying would be to create, in all likelihood, beautiful black Jewish babies. Unfortunately that marriage did not work out, but it still had a profound impact upon me. It also provided me with personal experience of the real world difference between racism and the absence of racism.
President Obama's current policy for Israel of a Two State solution is a racist policy. If it did not start that way, it has become so. He needs to stand down from his current path or go down in history as a symbol of hypocrisy in governance and moral equivalence.
MAYBE a couple decades ago you could get away with supporting a Two State solution. But when not only Hamas but even Fatah intends to not allow Jewish freedom in a proposed Palestinian State or even recognize Jews in a state of their own, an imbalance against the Jews exists. Separating my backyard from my neighbors is not racism. Segregating half of my neighbor's backyard into a backyard for me and for him, only for my benefit, is Apartheid. That is what is being suggested against the Jews of Judea and Samaria. The leaders of Israel need to accept this and incorporate it into their policy if they have not yet done so.
Obama would likely be called a racist by the time honored standards held dear to civil rights activists 65 years ago. But this need not be his legacy, he can still back off and return to the fold. May it soon be so, by the grace of God.
Friday, June 19, 2015
Jewish Freedom of Religion on the Temple Mount
The Temple Mount is the holiest site in Judaism. So why does the government continue to deny Jews freedom of worship in their holy place. The government is still unfairly elevating Islam above Judaism on the Temple Mount and no wonder that God has given them Islamic countries to worry about. But this could change immediately for the better.
If the Knesset does not want to take responsibility for governing the Temple Mount directly, authority should be removed from the Muslim Waqf and immediately granted to the Rabbis or either the Cohanim or to the known descendants of King David, who in turn would hire Cohanim to man the holy site.
The seal of world peace has long been revealed in Tanach. The Lord will first return the Jewish people to the Holy Land and in the time when the Third Temple is built, the wolf will lay with the lamb, and swords will be made into plowshares. This is guaranteed by the Creator.
"And they shall build houses and inhabit them" (Isaiah 65, verse 21)
i.e. a house of government and then the house of the Lord, and only then,
"A wolf and a lamb shall graze together" (Verse 25)
For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain therein. But the wicked shall be cut off from the land, and the treacherous shall be uprooted therefrom. (Proverbs 2)
In the Book of Ezra, Cyrus, the Great, inspired by the prophecy of Daniel many years before, allowed the Jews the right to rebuild their temple on it's mount. Who can the Jews appeal to among the politicians in Israel? For all the good the government does, to make the return of Israel to the Holy Land more bitter than exile itself by denying the birth of the seal of world peace, the Third Temple, at the birth stool, is cruelty to their own people and those among the nations of the world who also yearn for peace. Hasbara for this can and should be done. And in fact it is guaranteed success if attempted.
"Will I bring to the birth stool and not cause to give birth?" says the Lord. "Am I not He who causes to give birth, now should I shut the womb?" says your God. (Isaiah 66)
"The wicked will be overthrown and they are no more, but the house of the righteous will stand." (Proverbs 12)
"...and the Sanctuary of the Lord shall be in its midst." (Ezekiel 48)
For true freedom of religion to exist in this matter, the Muslims must have their holy place in Mecca and the Jews must have their holy place in Jerusalem, on the Temple Mount, replacing the Dome of the Rock and the Mosque there. Anything less is not true freedom of religion for practitioners of both faiths in the purest sense.
A few years ago Jewish Home MK Zevulun Orlev called for the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple.
He said that removing the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque would mean that the “billion-strong Muslim world would surely launch a war.” However, he added, “everything political is temporary and there is no stability (anyway.)”
A couple years ago Housing and Construction Minister Uri Ariel also called for the rebuilding of the Temple.
In other words, these members of Knesset believe that the threat of war is relative. The constant danger Israel is in is a greater threat than any potential violent backlash against removing the Waqf from authority on the Temple Mount. It's not worth worrying about such consequences, according to these members of Israel's government.
But there is another layer to this. The enemies of Israel hate them no matter what, but if Israel stands up to the oppression and for their God given rights, they will surely receive Divine assistance the likes of which have not been witnessed for a long time. Just as Israel strives to cater to the religious needs of the gentiles living in the State of Israel, so too should they do so for the Jews who live in Israel. It is the right thing to do. And a host of Scriptural sources would encourage such a risk. Most investments are risks, and yet people make them all the time. But the best of intelligence sources, the Prophets of Israel, tell us that having a Temple is a protection, not a cause for fear. And the third Temple is a seal of peace, not a cause of war.
The fear of battle at the time the Jews built the Second Temple was not due to the Temple being built, but for the settlement and building of Jerusalem itself.
"Now it came to pass when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabs, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the wall of Jerusalem was repaired, that the people who were exposed had commenced to be closed in, that they became very angered. And they all banded together to come to wage war against Jerusalem and to wreak destruction therein." (Nehemiah 4:1,2)
... Despite the fear at the time, fortunately the war was prevented...
"And I saw, and I arose, and I said to the nobles and to the prefects and to the rest of the people, "Do not be afraid of them; remember the great and awesome Lord, and fight for your brethren, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your households. And it came to pass when our enemies heard that it had become known to us, that God had frustrated their counsel, that we all returned to the wall, each one to his work.(Nehemiah 4:8,9)"
If the Arabs are not attacking for settlement of the land, why would they attack for a holy place that is not truly one of their main holy places. They would not go to war only for that. And if they did it would only be a pretense. They already have all the pretext they need, because Jews love life, and the radicals of the Arabs love death. When they feel it's time for a battle, they look for excuses for a new intifada or battle. Remember when Ariel Sharon visited the Temple Mount and then an intifada began? The timing was right for an intifada or else it would not have amounted to much to the radicals. The government of Israel builds all the time, and only occasionally is there an attack. It's based less on what Israeli policy does, than on perceived opportunities to attack and internal Arabic war preparation timelines. But it is wrong to assume that it would start when people show the Creator respect. That is a fallacy, conceived in the heart of those who have little hope or trust in a higher power and beneath God's nation, the kingdom of priests, the people of Israel.
It's only a matter of time until a government of Israel does what is right, and they can then share in the blessings of peace that will bring in it's wake. But the current Knesset has the opportunity decide if they will be that fateful assembly that will acknowledge the God given inalienable rights of the Jews to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, as Cyrus, the Great, did long ago. May it soon be so, by the grace of God.
An artificial glass ceiling prohibits the Jews from their Temple Mount. For thousands of years, it has been known that the Jews will return to their land and rebuild their Temple. If the only wrong that was done was to delay the building of the Temple, that would have been tragic enough, but even equal access as is granted to Islam is also not on the table. In fact it was recently announced that Muslims from Judea and Samaria will now also be granted access for the month of Ramadan, but no mention of freedom for Jews at least during the month of the High Holidays, Tishrey. This is the antithesis of the concept of freedom of religion, and by leaders of the very people who God commanded, "proclaim liberty throughout the land." (Leviticus 25) But this can be changed, "With the blessing of the upright, the ceiling is raised," (Proverbs 11)
There is a well known Talmudic dictum that the way a person judges others, they themselves are judged. (Sotah 8b) Before Iran became an enemy it was an ally. Before Israel gave the keys to the Temple Mount to the Muslim Waqf, it had an opportunity to first offer it to the Rabbis, or the Cohanim (priests), or even direct descendants of King David, the original purchaser of the Temple Mount. But the governorship was instead given to the Waqf. Measure for Measure, the forsaking of this, spiritually speaking, turned a friend into the worst of enemies. It began the spirit of the land for peace philosophy that has delayed peace in the region all these years. It created the spiritual foundation for the current predicament with the Islamic state in Iran and the rise of radicalism in the region. While there were dangerous nations before, the West had leaders who knew how to deal with Arab countries that endangered humanity. Now, the West is mostly confused on how to fix things. Israel conquered the Temple Mount, but quickly sought to surrender it. George W. Bush quickly conquered Iraq, but soon became overwhelmed after the victory. From a Torah perspective these events are not isolated from each other. If Israel would soon hand control of the Temple Mount to an appropriate Jewish authority, it would create a spiritual reversal of fortune that would soon find its way into the "real" world. It's a matter of destiny that it will happen, but how blessed would it be if it preceded the messiah and did not wait for him to occur.
But I'm not settling for mere equal rights to the Temple Mount, for the causes are not equal. Muslims who pray on the Temple Mount turn their backsides to God's most Holy place on Earth, in order to pray to Mecca. They are there only to ultimately deny the Temple Mount's holiness, not embrace it. In their mind it is not that holy. They do not intend it as evil, but as for us, who are bidden to treat that place as the most sacred on Earth, how do we allow it? For this we're delaying a Third Temple? If they at least needed the Temple Mount too, it would not hurt as much, but they do not; not religiously at least.
If the Knesset does not want to take responsibility for governing the Temple Mount directly, authority should be removed from the Muslim Waqf and immediately granted to the Rabbis or either the Cohanim or to the known descendants of King David, who in turn would hire Cohanim to man the holy site.
The seal of world peace has long been revealed in Tanach. The Lord will first return the Jewish people to the Holy Land and in the time when the Third Temple is built, the wolf will lay with the lamb, and swords will be made into plowshares. This is guaranteed by the Creator.
"And they shall build houses and inhabit them" (Isaiah 65, verse 21)
i.e. a house of government and then the house of the Lord, and only then,
"A wolf and a lamb shall graze together" (Verse 25)
For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain therein. But the wicked shall be cut off from the land, and the treacherous shall be uprooted therefrom. (Proverbs 2)
In the Book of Ezra, Cyrus, the Great, inspired by the prophecy of Daniel many years before, allowed the Jews the right to rebuild their temple on it's mount. Who can the Jews appeal to among the politicians in Israel? For all the good the government does, to make the return of Israel to the Holy Land more bitter than exile itself by denying the birth of the seal of world peace, the Third Temple, at the birth stool, is cruelty to their own people and those among the nations of the world who also yearn for peace. Hasbara for this can and should be done. And in fact it is guaranteed success if attempted.
"Will I bring to the birth stool and not cause to give birth?" says the Lord. "Am I not He who causes to give birth, now should I shut the womb?" says your God. (Isaiah 66)
"The wicked will be overthrown and they are no more, but the house of the righteous will stand." (Proverbs 12)
"...and the Sanctuary of the Lord shall be in its midst." (Ezekiel 48)
For true freedom of religion to exist in this matter, the Muslims must have their holy place in Mecca and the Jews must have their holy place in Jerusalem, on the Temple Mount, replacing the Dome of the Rock and the Mosque there. Anything less is not true freedom of religion for practitioners of both faiths in the purest sense.
A few years ago Jewish Home MK Zevulun Orlev called for the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple.
He said that removing the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque would mean that the “billion-strong Muslim world would surely launch a war.” However, he added, “everything political is temporary and there is no stability (anyway.)”
A couple years ago Housing and Construction Minister Uri Ariel also called for the rebuilding of the Temple.
In other words, these members of Knesset believe that the threat of war is relative. The constant danger Israel is in is a greater threat than any potential violent backlash against removing the Waqf from authority on the Temple Mount. It's not worth worrying about such consequences, according to these members of Israel's government.
But there is another layer to this. The enemies of Israel hate them no matter what, but if Israel stands up to the oppression and for their God given rights, they will surely receive Divine assistance the likes of which have not been witnessed for a long time. Just as Israel strives to cater to the religious needs of the gentiles living in the State of Israel, so too should they do so for the Jews who live in Israel. It is the right thing to do. And a host of Scriptural sources would encourage such a risk. Most investments are risks, and yet people make them all the time. But the best of intelligence sources, the Prophets of Israel, tell us that having a Temple is a protection, not a cause for fear. And the third Temple is a seal of peace, not a cause of war.
The fear of battle at the time the Jews built the Second Temple was not due to the Temple being built, but for the settlement and building of Jerusalem itself.
"Now it came to pass when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabs, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the wall of Jerusalem was repaired, that the people who were exposed had commenced to be closed in, that they became very angered. And they all banded together to come to wage war against Jerusalem and to wreak destruction therein." (Nehemiah 4:1,2)
... Despite the fear at the time, fortunately the war was prevented...
"And I saw, and I arose, and I said to the nobles and to the prefects and to the rest of the people, "Do not be afraid of them; remember the great and awesome Lord, and fight for your brethren, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your households. And it came to pass when our enemies heard that it had become known to us, that God had frustrated their counsel, that we all returned to the wall, each one to his work.(Nehemiah 4:8,9)"
If the Arabs are not attacking for settlement of the land, why would they attack for a holy place that is not truly one of their main holy places. They would not go to war only for that. And if they did it would only be a pretense. They already have all the pretext they need, because Jews love life, and the radicals of the Arabs love death. When they feel it's time for a battle, they look for excuses for a new intifada or battle. Remember when Ariel Sharon visited the Temple Mount and then an intifada began? The timing was right for an intifada or else it would not have amounted to much to the radicals. The government of Israel builds all the time, and only occasionally is there an attack. It's based less on what Israeli policy does, than on perceived opportunities to attack and internal Arabic war preparation timelines. But it is wrong to assume that it would start when people show the Creator respect. That is a fallacy, conceived in the heart of those who have little hope or trust in a higher power and beneath God's nation, the kingdom of priests, the people of Israel.
It's only a matter of time until a government of Israel does what is right, and they can then share in the blessings of peace that will bring in it's wake. But the current Knesset has the opportunity decide if they will be that fateful assembly that will acknowledge the God given inalienable rights of the Jews to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, as Cyrus, the Great, did long ago. May it soon be so, by the grace of God.
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