JERUSALEM — While the world continues to discuss Clinton’s sincapades, a
small group of religious zealots, known as the Temple Mount and Land of
Israel Faithful Movement, could bring this planet to the brink of World War
III tomorrow morning.
Led by expert researcher and lecturer, Gershon Salomon, the group intends to lay a 4.5 ton marble cornerstone for the building of the Third Temple at the location of the
First and Second Temples.
Salomon has explained the date was selected because it coincides with the
third day of the festival of Succot (Feast of Tabernacles) when King
David, supposedly, brought the Ark of the Covenant from the City of David
to the Temple Mount.
Now under Islamic rule, the Har Habayit (Temple Mount) is the most
important holy site in Jewish history and the Temple’s restoration is even
part of every observant Jews’ prescribed prayer.
In October 1990, 17 Palestinians were killed when it was rumored throughout
the Islamic quarters that the Israeli “infidels” were taking over the
Temple Mount. Even a month later, Muslim youth were still throwing rocks at
anyone who approached the area.
CBS Radio reporter and author, David Dolan, told WorldNetDaily that
“there’s not a chance in the world that the cornerstone will be laid. It’s
a publicity thing. There would be huge riots if this happened.”
Dolan, author of the 1998 book, “Israel at the Crossroads — Fifty Years and
Counting” dismissed the Temple Mount Faithful as a group that “loves
attention.” The Israeli media and even those in the U.S. have ignored them.
There’s no talk in the media at all.”
While Dolan rejected the Temple Mount Faithful’s scheme, he re-iterated the
tension throughout the Middle East and stated: “We are on the brink of
World War III.”
Salomon intends to transport the cornerstone that has been brought out of
Israel’s desert area and and carry it on a big truck, decorated with
Israeli flags and the Star of David. The stone will be covered with a
prayer shawl, known as a Tallith. Levites will then play the Psalms of
Ascent and a high priest will anoint the stone.
According to the Temple Mount Faithful, the stone will be taken to Jerusalem with shofars being blown along the way, for the special ceremony of Nisuch HaMaaim at the Pool of Shiloah. Water then will be poured on the cornerstone and be anointed.
Perhaps, the group can reach the Pool of Shiloah, however, security forces
will definitely interrupt their route if they try to take the stone and an
ancient Torah scroll to the Temple Mount. They intend to drive the truck
around the Temple Mount seven times exactly as Joshua did at Jericho.
While the Temple Mount Faithful, who have invited thousands to meet at the
Western Wall Plaza near the Mugrabi Gate, believes the holy site will be
open to them somehow. However, Dolan explained “the government won’t allow
it to happen. If you’ve ever been to Jerusalem, you know about the
logistics and the number of levels of security there.”
Salomon, 58, believes the hand of God has been on him since he was a child
and the responsibility of the Temple restoration has been given to him.
A 10th generation Jerusalemite, Salomon joined the Israeli Defense Forces and led a company in the Golan Heights during the War of Independence. He was injured in a
battle with the Syrians in 1958 when he was run over by a tank. While Syrian troops were taught to “shoot to kill,” they ran away.
Later, according to Salomon, when the Syrians reported to the U.N. about the
incident, they claimed they’d seen thousands of angels around the IDF
officer. He explained he’d heard the voice of God and understood it as a
divine call about the Temple Mount.
He was involved in the liberation of the Temple Mount during the Six-Day
War in June 1967, however, in what he considers a “terrible decision,” then
Israeli defence minister, Moshe Dayan, turned over the control of the
Temple Mount to the Moslem authorities a month later.
“The Palestinians, who claim Jerusalem as the capital of a future
Palestinian state and deny any ancient Jewish rights to the Temple Mount,
consider any encroachment by Israel upon their holy place as a violation of
the Peace Accord and a prelude to holy war,” explained Israeli expert, Dr.
Randall Price.
The First Temple, built by King Solomon, was burned down by the Babylonians
in 586 BC while the Second Temple, rebuilt by the Judean leader Zerubbabel
and later re-constructed by the Judean king, Herod the Great, was destroyed
by the Roman 10th legion in 70 AD.
Another key reason, the Temple Mount Faithful will be deterred this week
from attempting to lay the cornerstone on the Temple Mount, is the
political fact that U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright arrived in
Jerusalem last night for a three-day visit.
Kaye Corbett, formerly of the Toronto Sun, is a media consultant who lives in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. His articles are provided courtesy of Corbett Communications, Falkland, BC, Canada.
