Temple Mount's Jewish Presence Surges Dramatically Over 30 Years
Translated & summarized from Makor Rishon by baba
The number of Jewish visitors to the Temple Mount has dramatically increased over the past 30 years, reversing the previous situation where Jews were seen as intruders. This shift is accompanied by a decrease in Arab presence and an increase in religious officers within the police force stationed at the site.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Jewish ascents to the Temple Mount have surged dramatically in 30 years.
- The current Jewish presence is greater than annual totals from three decades ago.
- An increase in Jewish visitors correlates with a decrease in Arab presence.
- The Temple Mount police force is now led by religious officers.
- Past Jewish visits often led to arrests, unlike the current situation.
The number of Jews ascending the Temple Mount has significantly increased over the past three decades, reversing the previous dynamic where Jewish visitors were seen as a disturbance, according to author Arnon Segal. Segal recounts an experience from 14 years ago when a Waqf guard told him, "Take it (the Dome of the Rock), it's yours." In contrast, a recent visitor expressed frustration at being forbidden to take a lulav, a ritual object, from the holy site where the commandment originates. Segal noted that the current number of Jews on the Temple Mount during a single visit is greater than the total number of Jewish visitors in an entire year 30 years ago.
He described a past reality where any suspected prayer by a Jew on the Temple Mount could lead to arrest, and his wife would question if he would return home or be detained. Today, the situation has transformed, with an increase in Jewish visitors correlating with a decrease in Arab presence on the mount. Segal cited the poet Uri Zvi Greenberg's saying, "He who rules the Mount rules the land," suggesting that as Jewish dominance grows, Arabs leave not only the Temple Mount but also other areas where Jews establish a presence out of religious devotion.
During a recent holiday ascent, Segal observed only two Arab women, a stark contrast to the past when Jewish visitors were the anomaly and Arabs were the perceived rightful public. He interprets this shift as Arabs recognizing the reverence and purity of Jewish ascents. While acknowledging that some religious practices, like taking a lulav, still require discretion, Segal emphasized that the overall direction of progress, symbolizing the nation's return to its holy site and land, is a cause for celebration.
The article also notes a change in law enforcement presence, with the Temple Mount police force now led by religious officers, including the commander and his deputy. The Temple Mount unit actively recruits officers from among those who ascend the site. The piece also briefly mentions the recent passing of Professor Meir Levenberg, a centenarian and a veteran of 30 years of Temple Mount ascents.