{"id":7842,"date":"2023-02-23T07:43:18","date_gmt":"2023-02-22T18:43:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/israelinstitute.nz\/?p=7842"},"modified":"2023-02-23T07:45:54","modified_gmt":"2023-02-22T18:45:54","slug":"temple-mount-visit-an-assertion-of-indigenous-rights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/israelinstitute.nz\/2023\/02\/temple-mount-visit-an-assertion-of-indigenous-rights\/","title":{"rendered":"Temple Mount Visit an Assertion of Indigenous Rights"},"content":{"rendered":"
This article was first published in The Jerusalem Post<\/a>.<\/p>\n In what parallel universe could the visit of a Jewish politician to Judaism\u2019s most holy site be considered controversial?<\/p>\n To those uninitiated in the Orwellian fantasy world of Palestinian politicking, a Jew praying at the site of Israel\u2019s ancient temples seems as natural and unremarkable as the wetness of water or the \u201cCatholicness\u201d of the Pope. But to those indoctrinated into the Palestinian narrative, the visit of an Israeli politician to the most holy site in Judaism is seen as highly provocative, risking a violent Palestinian reaction and deserving of a special meeting of the United Nations Security Council – the world body tasked with monitoring the world\u2019s sensitive hotspots. While the violent uprising did not occur, the UNSC did indeed meet. Never mind the Russia-Ukraine War, the deteriorating human rights situation in Iran or nuclear weapons development by Iran and North Korea. All these were apparently trumped by an Israeli politician having the audacity to visit Judaism\u2019s most holy site.<\/p>\n \u00a0Israel\u2019s new right-wing National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir\u2019s thirteen minute peaceful visit to the Temple Mount was described by Arab states as \u2018\u201cstorming of Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyard.\u201d The false accusation that the visit was an attempt to change the status quo and the general outrage directed towards the incident ignores the fact that Jews have a right to visit the Temple Mount according to the agreement between Israel and Jordan following the 1967 war. Israel had gained control of the Temple Mount, but her leaders chose to preserve the status quo regarding the Al-Aqsa compound, thus giving custodianship responsibilities for administration and religious arrangements to Jordan, while retaining responsibility for security and public order. Many now regard this concession, offered in the hope of alleviating the conflict, as a mistake.<\/p>\n \u00a0Jews are only allowed to visit the Temple Mount at specified times, taking a predetermined route. They must be accompanied by security. Jews are prohibited from praying at the site considered the centre of Judaism. These restrictions are not only absurd but highlight the fact that an outdated, discriminatory system is being imposed on Jews in a way that can only be seen as antisemitic.<\/p>\n \u00a0Ambassador Alan Baker<\/a>, Director of the Institute for Contemporary Affairs at the Jerusalem Center and the head of the Global Law Forum, points out:<\/p>\n \u00a0A status quo that perpetuates an ancient and outdated social structure that no longer exists, that practices religious discrimination and denies or restricts rights of worship, is blatantly incompatible with accepted international norms and concepts of equality, human rights, freedom of religion and worship, interreligious and intercultural dialogue, tolerance, understanding, and cooperation.<\/em><\/p>\n In addition, preventing Jews from visiting and praying at their most holy site is a direct violation of their indigenous rights under the 61\/295 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.<\/p>\n