The shocking upsurge in deadly attacks in Israel cannot be disconnected from efforts of some Jewish organizations to dramatically change the Temple Mount status quo, backed by inflammatory statements and actions of leading politicians.
To be sure, not all Jews yearn to abolish the fragile status quo of the holy site. Several prominent Jewish leaders, including one chief rabbi, have called on Israeli Jews to refrain from visiting the Mount. These statements invoke either halachic prohibitions to enter the holy site or pragmatic considerations urging a policy of restraint, as to not spill oil on this fiery issue. While commendable, both approaches shy away from two essential misconceptions reflected in the Temple Mount’s growing centrality — for secular Zionism and for the Jewish religion alike.
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