Evey day, Arab kids play soccer on Judaism's holiest site, the Temple Mount. According to Islam, its also the 3rd holiest site to Islam. So why are these Arab kids playing soccer there?
Could be any or more of the following:
- Waqf only care about Jews praying on the Temple Mount, nothing else is considered a desecration.
- Even if it is a desecration of Islam's holy site, at least it sticks it even more to the Jews.
- Kids playing soccer have parents in the Waqf, Palestinian Authority, Fatah Central Committee, or have weapons with lots of ammunition.
- Mosque Soccer Interleague championship; playing on Holy ground improves penalty shots
- Kids hold from the Israeli Chief Rabbinate's prohibition of going to Temple Mount; didn't think they would be caught on camera.
- Yossi Beilin: Its only soccer, at least they aren't throwing rocks. Kids will be kids.
- Barry Chamish: Its not soccer, its midget aliens preparing the landing location for a UFO mother ship.
- Its not really an Islamic holy site to being with.
For those not familiar with the situation on Har HaBayit, and I hope to blog about that soon, its the only place in Israel, where by Israeli law, it is forbidden for Jews to pray there, so as not to offend the Arabs. While the subject of acsending Har HaBayit is a very complex halachik question, there are many rabbis who permit ascension under strict guidelines of preparation (mikva) , actual ascension (no leather shoes), and path of travel (so as not to stray into forbidden areas).
This used to be a totally hands-off topic to Orthodoxy, but in the past few years, there is a large awareness campaign of ascending Har HaBayit, according to halacha. Its a very serious issue (doing it wrong/improperly can lead to the heavenly punishment of "Kareit") -- and thousands of Jews now ascend every year, b'tahara (in purity) and according to halacha.
Only recently has the Israeli government (under the brave decision pushed by MK Tzachi Hanegbi - while I may disagree with him on many issues, I have to give him credit for this) changed its position that Jews should be allowed to ascend to Har HaBayit. Yet, they still stipulate that no "incitement" take place; anything that annoys the Waqf is not permitted. Therefore, it is forbidden for Jews to pray on the Temple Mount. Moving your lips in a quiet murmuring of the Shma, tehillim, or any prayer whatsoever is grounds for immediate forceful eviction from the Temple Mount by the Israeli police. Once thrown off Har HaBayit you can be blacklisted from ever entering the compound of Har HaBayit again.
I have a picture somewhere that I need to find, of a Jewish woman being dragged off of Har HaBayit, with a policeman's hand clamped over her mouth to prevent her from continuing to say (quietly, to herself) the Shma.
No Jewish prayer permitted, just Arab kids playing soccer.
Found the following from a fellow blogger -- better to go straight to his site; its got pictures and all.