The story behind the violance at the Har Habayis

Rabbi Uri Pilichowski

What’s happening in Jerusalem and how did the situation get so bad?

It’s important to note that any analysis of the current tensions without the larger context of the decades long conflict is bound to be lacking. For weeks Palestinian extremists have been using any excuse to spread rumors that Jews are planning to take over the Temple Mount. While Jews find this outrageous, the average Palestinian believes it – every single time the rumor is spread.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about a Palestinian friend who was convinced by extremists a right wing rally Bibi Netanyahu planned to rally his supporters was going to march to the Temple Mount and take it over. I thought he must be joking, but he really believed it.

Palestinians – beginning with the terror attack in Be’er Sheva – started attacking innocent Jews in Be’er Sheva, Holon, Bnei Brak, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. In an effort to stop the attacks, the IDF (completely in their rights) started raiding areas where Palestinian terrorists are known to live. The terrorists, along with local residents, attacked IDF soldiers entering Palestinian terrorist enclaves which led to greater violence and dead Palestinians. This raised tensions even higher.

In the ensuing weeks, Israeli security forces stopped over 20 planned terrorist attacks. Palestinians planned and were in the process of carrying out attacks that would’ve killed hundreds of innocent Israelis. With God’s mercy and Israeli soldiers’ skills, those attacks never happened.

Then, completely in his rights, Knesset member Ben Gvir went up to the Temple Mount. Again, Ben Gvir, has every right to visit Judaism’s most sacred place whenever he wants to, but every Palestinian knows Ben Gvir and they see him as the most extreme anti-Arab Israeli. His going up to the Temple Mount infuriated them, and raised tensions even higher. I don’t think Ben Gvir’s visit to the Temple Mount was smart. While he has every right, he knew he was going up at a time of high tensions, and that his visit would raise tensions higher.

As Palestinian attacks kept happening, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz kept the Temple Mount open for Muslims to pray during Ramadan. There’s no doubt his efforts were made to lower tensions. Yet, in contrast Palestinian extremists in Shechem destroyed Joseph’s tomb – twice. Gantz also kept the Israeli borders open to Palestinian workers, but closed down certain crossing points near Jenin. Many Israeli towns in Judea and Samaria forbade Palestinian workers from entering their towns for three days in the hopes of not risking an attack during a time of high tensions.

A Jewish organization, also completely in its rights, but absurdly shortsighted knowing they’d never be successful and that their actions would be used to raise tensions, offered a monetary award for any Jew who successfully offered the Korbon Pesach on the Temple Mount. Six Jews were arrested for planning to offer the korban.

Hamas and many other Palestinian terrorists – and everyday Palestinians - used this organization’s “contest” to spread rumors that Jews were planning on sacrificing animals on the Temple Mount this week. I believe Jews have every right to visit, pray, and yes even offer korbonos on the Temple Mount, but obviously Muslims disagree and maintain the Temple Mount is solely their space. They view any Jewish worship as forbidden and an offense to Islam. Setting aside how wrong their view is, and focusing on the effects these have, Muslims were told to prepare to defend against Jewish invaders of their holy space.

As early as 3 AM on Thursday night I was watching live Facebook feeds from inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque as young Muslim men began stockpiling rocks and boulders to protect Al-Aqsa from “Israeli Invaders.” Israeli soldiers, knowing that in situations like this in the past had seen Palestinians throwing boulders down on the Kotel Plaza, entered the Temple Mount to protect Israeli worshippers below.

Seeing the soldiers enter the Temple Mount “confirmed the rumors” to Palestinians that Israel was invading the Temple Mount and violence ensued. Hundreds of Palestinians were arrested, many injured, and tensions rose again.

That’s where we are this morning. As I write this, I’m watching Palestinian Twitter again spread rumors that Israel is invading the Temple Mount. Who are the invaders? Jews coming to visit the Temple Mount, so tensions rise again.

We need to break the vicious cycle of rumor and violence. It’s time once and for all to implement a policy on the Temple Mount that protects Jewish rights to the Temple Mount and safety at the Kotel, while ensuring Palestinians know we have no intention of destroying their Mosques today.