Rabbinic leaders rebuke Israeli government

December 19, 2007

JERUSALEM – A group of prominent rabbinic elders and the leaders of Israel’s major Temple Mount activist groups issued a joint statement today calling on “all nations who believe in the word of God to” rebuke the Israeli government for reportedly failing to halt the Hamas terror group from broadcasting live today from the Temple Mount, Judaism’s holiest site.

“We call upon all nations who cherish freedom and who believe in the word of God as manifest in the Torah of Israel and its prophets to rebuke the government of Israel for its disgraceful treatment of all that is holy to the Jewish people before the eyes of the entire world,” said a statement by the New Jewish Congress, the Sanhedrin and the Holy Temple and Temple Mount movements.

The Congress is a group of religious Zionist leaders here while the Sanhedrin consists of prominent rabbinic leaders who in 2004 reformed the ancient group of Jewish judges that previously constituted the legislative body of Israel. The reformed Sanhedrin has been a subject of debate within some Jewish communities.

Continued the statement: “The contemptible and vile consent of the government of (Prime Minister) Ehud Olmert for the Hamas terror organization to broadcast from the Temple Mount endangers and weakens Israel’s peace and security.

“Whoever cooperates with the Israeli government in its campaign to banish the Jewish people from the Temple Mount and close it before Jewish worshippers is party to bloodshed, negates any chance for peace in the future and fosters war and strife in this region and throughout the entire world.”

The joint statement was read earlier today by Rabbi Chaim Richman, director of the international department at Israel’s Temple Institute and an English spokesman for the various groups that issued today’s call.

WND broke the story that the Hamas terror group today broadcast live from the Temple Mount and announced it would commence daily programming from the site while Israeli police banned all Jews and Christian from ascending the Mount.

Jewish Temple Mount groups had wanted to lead tours this morning, which marked the start of Jewish fast day of the Tenth of Tevet, mourning the First Temple’s destruction and the siege placed on Jerusalem leading up to Temple’s destruction during the reign of the Babylonian ruler Nebuchadnezzar.

But the Israeli government barred all non-Muslims from ascending for the rest of the week due to a Muslim holiday. Along with the Jewish fast day, today also marked the start of Ein ul-Adhaa, which commemorates the Islamic belief of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael for Allah. According to the Jewish and Christian tradition, Abraham nearly sacrificed his son Isaac, not Ishmael.

“Our broadcast is a victory for the Al Aqsa Mosque, which is suffering from Judaization efforts imposed by the Zionist government. Broadcasting daily radio is a way to bring Al Aqsa to the Gaza Strip and challenge the siege imposed on us by the Zionist entity,” said Rami Kaoud, a manager at Al Aqsa Radio, Hamas’ official radio network.

To interview Aaron Klein, contact Tim Bueler Public Relations by e-mail, or call (530) 401-3285.

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