Defending Har IlaBayit
American Jews launch offensive to halt Temple Mount 'Surrender"
sovereignty." At the same
time,
Israeli officials stress an
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
agreement would ensure Jewish
links to the site and access to
New York
the subterranean levels where
overeignty over the Temple Mount is
the remains of the Temple are
apparently so explosive to the Arab
believed to be located.
world that the question may have tor-
"We will do nothing to
pedoed the Camp David summit in
impair
the affinity of the
July and helped spark the Palestinian violence
Jewish
people
to the site,"
of the past three months.
said
Barak,
who
has also come
Nov it's becoming clear just how explosive
under intense pressure from
it is for Jews as well.
Israeli political and religious
Amid new indications that the Israeli gov-
leaders against yielding con-
ernment is ready to cede sovereignty over the
trol of the site.
holy site in Jerusalem in exchange for
U.S. Jews opposed to con-
Palestinian renunciation of the "right of
cessions
on the Temple
return" for refugees, American Jews are going
Mount
are
citing those leaders
on the offensive.
in
making
their
case.
Israel knows best when it comes to borders
The National Council of
and security arrangements, say some
Young Israel this week cited
American Jewish activists, but Jerusalem —
Israel's Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi
and the Temple Mount — is a different story.
Yisrael
Meir Lau, who was
"Israel Must Not Surrender Judaism's Holiest
quoted
in
the Israeli daily
Site" reads a new advertisement initiated by the
Ha'aretz.
He
said that to
Zionist Organization of America and signed by
abandon
the
Temple
Mount
some 30 prominent American Jews.
means
abandoning
the
tradi-
The ad portends a potential confrontation
tion of thousands of years.
between the Israeli government and impor-
"The situation, de facto, is
tant segments of American Jewry at a time
unfortunately that the
when Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak may
Palestinians and the Muslims
need international as well as internal Israeli
control the Mount, but to
backing for any peace deal with the
grant this reality a de jure
Palestinians.
authorization would violate
The signatories to the ad include hard-lin-
the public's trust," Lau was
ers and moderates, including six past chairs
quoted
saying.
of the Conference of Presidents of Major
U.S. Jews also cite Israeli
American Jewish Organizations.
hard-liners Natan Sharansky
The ad is aimed at influencing both
and Ariel Sharon, who is chal-
American Jewish and Israeli audiences, and
lenging Barak in the upcoming
will run in U.S. Jewish and Israeli media this
Above: President Clinton meets with Israeli and Palestinian negotiators last week in
Israeli
elections. The pair con-
week, said Morton Klein, president of the
Washington.
tend
that
Diaspora Jews must
ZOA.
have
a
say
over the fate of
Top:-The
Temple
Mount
houses
one
of
Islam's
holiest
shrines,
the
Dome
of
the
Rock,
while
"The Muslims wouldn't dream of giving
Jerusalem
and
the Temple
resting
above
the
remains
of
the
First
and
Second
Temples,
the
holiest
site
in
Judaism.
away part of Mecca or Medina; the
Mount. In the Arab world, too,
Christians wouldn't dream of giving away
leaders warned Palestinian
part of the Vatican," Klein said.
Authority President Yasser
"And no Israeli leader has the right to give
Arafat that Jerusalem is a mat-
away the essence of the Jewish people that is
ter
for
the
entire
Muslim
world.
can
be
sealed
before
Clinton
leaves
office
on
Jan.
20.
embedded in the Temple Mount."
The Temple Mount's upper level houses the third
holiest shrine in Islam, while sitting atop the
Trusting Barak
remains of the First and Second Temples, the holiest
"Affinity" Cited
On the other side of the spectrum, American Jews in
site in Judaism.
New U.S. proposals presented to Israel and the
the peace camp are reiterating that they trust the
Some rabbis in Israel forbid Jews from treading on
Palestinians over the weekend call for Israel to give
Israeli leadership and electorate to decide for them-
the Mount, for fear of defiling its sacred ground.
up sovereignty over the Temple Mount and for the
selves what is in Israel's best interests:.
Israeli officials, including Barak, have in recent
-Palestinians to give up the right of refugees displaced
When the Conference of Presidents recently issued
statements
indicated
willingness
to
recognize
the
during Israel's creation to return to the state.
a
clarion
call to American Jews to visit Israel to boost
Palestinians'
de
facto
control
over
the
upper
level
of
The Clinton administration is seeking a quick
its
sagging
tourism industry, it rankled several in the
the
Temple
Mount,
while
steering
clear
of
the
term
response from both sides to determine if a peace deal
MICHAEL J. JORDAN
"
"
:
12/29
2000
16