The Israeli Municipality of West Jerusalem set up, on Wednesday, a sign reading “Temple Mount”, in reference to the nearby al-Aqsa Mosque compound.The sign, which was placed near Al Nather Gate, was made available in three languages: Hebrew, Arabic and English, according to WAFA Palestinian News & Info Agency.
Jews refer to the site as the “Temple Mount,” claiming it as the site of two Jewish temples destroyed in ancient times. The site is home to the third holiest mosque in Islam, and houses the al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock.
The site is located in occupied East Jerusalem, taken by Israel from Jordan in 1967, but under an agreement to keep the site under Jordanian jurisdiction.
The Jordanian-run Islamic Waqf Department, which has administrative jurisdiction over the compound, said the sign is nothing but an attempt to Judaize the holy site and the city of Jerusalem.
The site has been an epicenter of the prolonged Israeli-Arab conflict. It has witnessed recurrent clashes in recent years between Muslim worshipers and Israeli police, most frequently due to provocative visits by Jewish extremists who believe the mosque should be destroyed and replaced with a Jewish temple.
Christians outside of the Levant remain divided on the issue, as biblical end times prophecy states: ‘I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.’ ~Revelation 21:22
Related: Jesus Christ Embassy to Launch Prayer Campaign for Peace in Jerusalem
The most violent clashes were witnessed in the year 2000, when late Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, long known for his far-right views, entered the holy site along with 200 police officers, provoking what was then known as the Palestinian Second Intifada.
Search IMEMC: ‘Holy Sites’
See also: 02/10/15 Israeli Forces Demolish Palestinian Home South of Al Aqsa, Turn Jerusalem Landmarks into Latrines
Destruction of Palestinian Homes in Lydda & Jerusalem, Bethlehem Orchards Ruined
