MUSLIMS TEMPLE MOUNT

1-WORLD QUAKES LAST 2 DAYS.2-THE DIVISION OF JERUSALEM. 3-Wintry weather impacts the South. 4-War protesters allowed to spray paint the U.S. Capitol. 4-Rabbi Slams Back At Jews For Jesus. 5-Report: US May Back 40,000-Man Fatah Army. 6-Proof Temple Mount belongs to Muslims.

The Division of Jerusalem

[Dee Ann a Messianic Jew ] The Bible tells us that in the Day of the Lord (Joel 1:15, 2:1, Zechariah 14:1) (a term which describes the days of tribulation) that the land of Israel will be divided (Joel 3:2) by removing Jews from their borders (homes) (Joel 3:6) when the enemy would say that the mountains of Israel (West Bank) (Ezekiel 36:1-2) would be theirs by dividing the city of Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:2) (by making East Jerusalem the capital of a PLO state).

Pat Robertson on his show said this will be the year for the battle of Jerusalem, when the World will try to divide it.

If this is the case we will really see trouble as we get closer to the 7 year tribulation period. Pats exact quote is - As I was in my time of Prayer at the end of the year, what the Lord was telling me: this is going to be a major push to take Jerusalem away from the Jews, this year. And quote it would signal the end of the Gentile Powers. Where talking about a clash of Civilizations. Where talking about a vision, either the Christian view announced by Jesus Christ or were going to have the view of Radical Islam. But theres no way that some minor concession for property along the way is going to appease Ahmadinejad and his followers to say this is the end. The only end will be when they control and rule the earth or else they are soundly defeated in that quest, nothing else is going to do it.

EARTHQUAKES

MATTHEW 24:7-8
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

MARK 13:8
8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:(ETHNIC GROUP AGAINST ETHNIC GROUP) and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.

LUKE 21:11
11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

WORLD QUAKES LAST 2 DAYS (USGS)

Update time = Fri Feb 2 12:00 AM EDT

FEB 02,07
MAP 2.8 UNIMAK ISLAND REGION, ALASKA
MAP 3.3 UNIMAK ISLAND REGION, ALASKA
MAP 2.9 FOX ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA

FOB 01,07
MAP 3.4 MOUNT ST. HELENS AREA, WASHINGTON
MAP 2.8 WASATCH FRONT URBAN CORRIDOR, UTAH
MAP 2.8 SOUTHERN ALASKA
MAP 5.2 MOLUCCA SEA
MAP 4.6 OFF THE COAST OF CENTRAL AMERICA
MAP 4.6 ANDREANOF ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN IS., ALASKA
MAP 5.7 MOLUCCA SEA
MAP 2.5 NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
MAP 3.4 HAWAII REGION, HAWAII
MAP 3.0 MAUI REGION, HAWAII
MAP 4.8 KURIL ISLANDS

JAN 31,07
MAP 2.9 WESTERN KENTUCKY
MAP 2.7 WASHINGTON
MAP 3.0 ANDREANOF ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN IS., ALASKA
MAP 2.8 PUERTO RICO REGION
MAP 5.8 JAVA, INDONESIA
MAP 3.5 KODIAK ISLAND REGION, ALASKA
MAP 3.4 GULF OF ALASKA
MAP 3.4 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP 3.7 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC REGION
MAP 2.9 KODIAK ISLAND REGION, ALASKA
MAP 5.3 SOLOMON ISLANDS
MAP 3.0 SOUTHERN ALASKA
MAP 2.8 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
MAP 2.8 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
MAP 4.1 NEAR THE COAST OF OREGON
MAP 4.4 OFF THE COAST OF OREGON
MAP 2.6 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
MAP 2.8 NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
MAP 2.5 CENTRAL ALASKA
MAP 5.3 KYRGYZSTAN
MAP 4.7 KURIL ISLANDS
MAP 3.0 PUERTO RICO REGION
MAP 4.9 SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS
MAP 2.5 ALASKA PENINSULA
MAP 2.5 ISLAND OF HAWAII, HAWAII
MAP 3.6 HAWAII REGION, HAWAII
MAP 6.5 KERMADEC ISLANDS, NEW ZEALAND
MAP 5.2 VANUATU
MAP 3.1 PUERTO RICO REGION

STORMS HURRICANES-TORNADOES

LUKE 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

Wintry weather impacts the South Wayne Verno, Meteorologist, The Weather Channel FEB 01,07

South

A winter mess will impact parts if the south as a low pressure tracks from the northern Gulf of Mexico, into the Southeastern States today.

Snow and sleet will move across the Tennessee Valley, into the Carolinas, affecting areas from Tulsa and Little Rock, through Memphis and Nashville to Raleigh and Charlotte. Accumulations will generally range from 1 to 3 inches, with locally higher amounts in the mountains. Freezing rain and sleet will impact areas around the northern suburbs of Atlanta, changing to rain later in the day. The snow and sleet across parts of the Carolinas may change over to freezing rain during the afternoon. In these areas, a coating of ice will be possible.

Rain, heavy at times, will move across the southern states from New Orleans to Jacksonville, with a few thunderstorms possible along the northern Gulf Coast. By Friday, the storm system will move northeast of the area, with showers lingering across Florida. Partly cloudy skies will dominate the rest of the southeast, while a few snow showers linger over the southern Plains. High pressure will build across the southern Plains, into the South Saturday, resulting in dry conditions. Rain showers will linger across southern Florida.

Midwest

Snow showers will move across the southern Plains, into the Ohio Valley region today, as low pressure tracks across the southern states.

This will impact areas from St. Louis, through Louisville to Cleveland. Another arctic cold front will be moving into the High Plains and Upper Midwest, which will generate windy conditions along with snow showers from Rapid City to Fargo. On Friday, the front will move southeast into the Great Lakes, increasing the chance of snow showers and windy conditions from the Dakotas through the Minneapolis, Green Bay, and Chicago areas. Temperatures will be the big story over the next few days, as highs in the single digits and teens over the Upper Midwest today, spread into the western Great Lakes Friday and toward the Upper Ohio Valley by Saturday. With the windy conditions expected, wind chills may become dangerous, especially during the morning hours, when temperatures drop well below zero into the weekend.

Northeast

An area of low pressure tracking across the Southeastern States, in combination with a cold front approaching from the Great Lakes will spread wintry precipitation into the southern Mid-Atlantic today.

Snow showers will spread across Pittsburgh and Washington, DC, reaching into the Philadelphia and New York areas by late day. A wintry mix will impact across further south. By Friday, low pressure will track northeast, off the eastern coast, being close enough to bring some rain and snow to eastern areas from Baltimore and Philadelphia, north through New York and Boston, with light snow further inland from Pittsburgh and Buffalo, north to Burlington. On Saturday, much colder air will spill across the Northeastern States, with highs in the teens and 20s along and west of the Appalachian Mountains, with 30s along the eastern areas. Lake effect snow showers will also increase off Lakes Erie and Ontario, with snow showers and flurries spreading as far east as the Appalachians.

West

A surge of arctic air will spill into the northern and eastern Rockies today and Friday, behind a cold front moving through that area. Upslope flow will also increase the chance for snow and snow showers from the Front Range, into the northern Rockies today. A few inches of snow may accumulate in the Denver area, with up to a foot in the higher elevations. Snow showers will linger into the weekend over the central Rockies, but in general, high pressure will build across the entire west. Dry conditions will develop along the west coast, from Portland and Seattle, south to Los Angeles. Afternoon highs will range from the 20s and 30s north, warming into the 60s and 70s south.

War protesters allowed to spray paint the U.S. Capitol FEB 01,07
Capitol Chief of Police tell officers not to arrest anyone

Dear Stan,

During last Saturday's Washington rally protesting the war in Iraq, hundreds of anti-war protesters were allowed to desecrate government property by spray painting the Capitol with anarchist symbols.

I did not see or hear any report of this in any of the mainline media outlets! Capitol Police Chief Phillip Morse ordered his officers to fall back and allow the protesters to exercise what he called their First Amendment rights to spray paint the Capitol steps with graffiti. Defending his actions, Morse said, The graffiti was easily removed by the staff. It is our duty and responsibility to protect the Capitol complex, while allowing the public to exercise their freedom of speech. He even ordered his officers not to arrest anyone! The war protesters were given access and leniency to deface government property. According to Family Research Council, public employees had to come in on their day off, at taxpayers' expense, to clean up the mess the protesters left behind.

To see comments on this issue by Sen. Wayne Allard of Colorado.
http://allard.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Print&PressRelease_id=232108&SuppressLayouts=True

The Capitol Chief of Police takes his orders directly from Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, one of the demonstrators' most outspoken allies!

Take Action

E-mail Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi - (https://secure.afa.net/afa/activism/takeaction.asp?id=233) and ask that she take action to have those who spray painted our Capitol arrested. Furthermore, she should publicly state that this kind of activity will not be condoned in the future. If you desire to speak with her office in addition to sending the e-mail, her direct number is 202-225-4965.

If you think our efforts are worthy, would you please support us with a small gift? Thank you for caring enough to get involved.

Sincerely,
Donald E. Wildmon, Founder and Chairman
American Family Association

ZECHARIAH 13:7-9,14:1-21
7 Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.
8 And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts (2/3RDS) therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.(1/3RD)
9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name,(JESUS) and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.
1 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.
2 For I (GOD) will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled,(TRASHED) and the women ravished; (RAPED)and half of the city (JERUSALEM) shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
3 Then shall the LORD (JESUS) go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
5 And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.
6 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark:
7 But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.
8 And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.
9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.
10 All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin’s gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king’s winepresses.
11 And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.
14 And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance.
15 And so shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the ass, and of all the beasts that shall be in these tents, as this plague.
16 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.
17 And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.
18 And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
20 In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD’S house shall be like the bowls before the altar.
21 Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts.

Rabbi Slams Back At Jews For Jesus
By Baruch Gordon (INN) FEB 01,07

Radio Show Host Rabbi Tovia Singer Fires Back at Missionaries Targeting Jews for Conversion with Educational Audio Series Now Made Available Free Online Outreach Judaism, a leading counter-missionary organization based in New York, has launched a new website, www.OutreachJudaism.org, offering a free, exhaustive library of information regarding Jews for Jesus’ multimillion dollar worldwide missionary campaigns, including a point-by-point audio response to their plans to convert Jews to Christianity.

In the last year alone, Jews for Jesus engaged in a 65-city tour any city that has more than 25,000 Jews within it primarily targeting Jewish youth and the elderly for conversion.

To combat this aggressive assault, Rabbi Tovia Singer, founder of Outreach Judaism and show host on Israel National Radio, is now making available his 20-part tape series, Let’s get Biblical free via mp3 download to anyone seeking answers to questions posed by Christian missionaries.The tape series, which has been available until now for cost, has hit the missionary effort head-on. Rabbi Singer has numerous letters from Messianic Jews who after hearing his series returned to authentic Judaism.

Threatened by Singer's initiative, Jews For Jesus formulated a plan to mitigate the impact of Singer's audio series: the organization dedicated part of its website to answering points that Singer raises. Rabbi Singer, in return, refutes their counter arguments on his Outreach Judaism site.Jews for Jesus has launched a deceptive campaign to convert the most susceptible segments of our community to their ranks, said Rabbi Singer. In their spiritual assault on Jewish communities in the US, Israel and Europe, Jews for Jesus deliberately blurs the distinctions between Judaism and Christianity in order to lure Jews who would otherwise resist a straightforward Christian message. Now, Jews worldwide finally have the answers to Jews for Jesus’ claims at their fingertips.

Jews for Jesus has declared their staggering goals, stated Rabbi Singer.

According to their marketing materials, Jews for Jesus exists, To make the messiahship of Jesus an unavoidable issue to our Jewish people worldwide. As part of their recent effort to convert the Jewish elderly in New York, Jews for Jesus distributed more than 80,000 copies of a conversionist film translated into Yiddish to homes in Brooklyn, Queens and Monsey, New York. Jews for Jesus is expanding its efforts to convert survivors of the Holocaust. The testimonials of those who managed to survive the Holocaust, yet became ensnared by the Baptist missionary group are broadcast on the Jews for Jesus website.This spiritual war against the most vulnerable members of our community is deeply troubling, and cannot go unanswered, says Rabbi Singer. Outreach Judaism is responding to Jews for Jesus’ unyielding assault upon the Jewish faith with point-by-point answers to their arguments. This is an all-out, no-holds-barred spiritual war instigated by Jews for Jesus that Outreach Judaism is responding to with an effective response.The audio series is available for free mp3 download at www.OutreachJudaism.org

Report: US May Back 40,000-Man Fatah Army
By Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu (INN) FEB 01,07

The U.S. is quietly entrenching itself deeper in the sands of Gaza with a plan to back the entire Fatah-led security force. Hamas and some analysts warn the Americans will get stuck in a quagmire. The Bush administration already has committed itself to give $86 million to finance training and equipment for the personal Presidential Guard of Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. However, it now is considering to fund all of the PA security forces in order to counter the Hamas militia, Reuters News Agency reported Thursday. Israel, the PA and the U.S. government have not commented.The security forces include at least 40,000 members, more than twice the number allowed by the Oslo agreements, and include many convicted terrorists whom Israel has freed. It also is common for Fatah security officers to simultaneously be members of Hamas and other terrorist organizations.

Extending aid to all of Abbas's forces and weeding out known terrorists could create havoc for Abbas, but officials maintain that a review process would ensure that the PA forces who receive American training have no ties to terrorist groups, Reuters added.The rival Hamas terrorist organization, which comprises the majority of the PA legislature, as well as independent analysts, have warned that the U.S. may be setting itself up to appear as an enemy and not a friend of Arabs in Judea, Samaria and Gaza.Hamas media spokesman Ghazi Hamda charged that the American aid is aimed to promote conflict between Hamas and Fatah in order to allow the Bush administration and American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to be the dominant force in the area. A second Hamas spokesman, Ismail Radwan, was more blunt. Whenever the United States sees that the Palestinians are about to achieve a unity agreement, it sends Condoleezza Rice to the region, or publicly announces sending weapons and money to Abbas, because it does not want unity among the Palestinians, he asserted. Political analyst Bassem Zubeide of Ramallah's Bier Zeit University said, Most Palestinians will think that the United States is getting heavily involved, and that will definitely weaken the Abbas point of view.

The U.S. has committed $86 million for the Presidential Guard and another $42 million to promote programs aimed to counter Hamas. The Americans maintain that its aid does not go for weapons but instead is used for training and for uniforms, radios and other equipment. However, massive American aid to Egypt and Jordan has made it easier for those countries to ship rifles, with Israel's approval, to Abbas.Lt. Gen. Keith Dayton, the special American military envoy to the PA, claims that the training by American army officers is meant to build up the Presidential Guard and not for the purpose of fighting Hamas. However, the guard has been the main fighting force in the Fatah-Hamas force militia war that broke out two months ago. Regardless of the source of the weapons, Hamas has vowed they will be used against Israel. The more weapons Americans give to Abbas, the more we will have to use against the Israelis when we go back to carrying out operations together, one Hamas leader predicted.Abbas himself has urged fighting factions to stop warring with each other and to aim their rifles at the occupation, the same phrase used by Islamic Jihad terrorists who took responsibility for this week's suicide bakery bombing in Eilat.American State Secretary Rice remains optimistic.

She recently said at a press conference, I want everyone to know how much we admire the leadership of President Abbas. We have made a lot of progress because of [his] hard work.

Proof Temple Mount belongs to Muslims
Head custodian says site will never be returned to Jewish sovereignty
Posted: January 31, 2007 6:04 p.m. Eastern By Aaron Klein WorldNetDaily.com

JERUSALEM – The replacement tomorrow in the Al Aqsa Mosque of a key podium transported with the coordination of Israeli security forces is proof the Temple Mount belongs only to Muslims and will never be returned to Jewish sovereignty, according to the leader of the Wafq – the Muslim custodians of the Temple Mount. This historic occasion proves that the extremist Jews will never achieve their goals of taking over the [Temple Mount.] It shows that we are much closer to liberating the Al Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem from Israeli occupation, said Waqf chief Adnan Husseini.

Temple Mount in Jerusalem

At a ceremony in the Al Aqsa Mosque, the podium is set to be unveiled and installed at the exact spot Waqf officials state the prophet Muhammad went up to heaven to receive revelations from Allah. The podium will be used by Al Aqsa preachers to deliver sermons. The new stand replaces a 1,000-year-old podium believed to have been shipped to Jerusalem by the Islamic conqueror Saladin. That stand was destroyed in 1969, when an Australian tourist set fire to the Al Aqsa Mosque. The replacement stand, a near replica of the original, was funded by the Jordanian and Saudi governments. It took craftsmen four years to construct. The podium's nearly assembled parts were shipped to Waqf offices on the Temple Mount earlier this month with help from the Israeli police, and will be installed at the center of the Al Aqsa Mosque tomorrow. According to a Waqf official speaking to WND, the theme for tomorrow's installation ceremony will focus on exclusive Islamic domination of the Temple Mount. The official reason for the ceremony is to mark the installation, but unofficially it will be a celebration that this podium is proof we are the rightful owners of the Haram al-Sharif (Temple Mount). This podium solidifies our eternal presence here, the Waqf official said.

Al Aqsa Mosque built by angels?

The Temple Mount is the holiest site in Judaism. Muslims say it is their third holiest site. The First Jewish Temple was built by King Solomon in the 10th century B.C. It was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. The Second Temple was rebuilt in 515 B.C. after Jerusalem was freed from Babylonian captivity. That temple was destroyed by the Roman Empire in A.D. 70. Each temple stood for a period of about four centuries. The Jewish Temple was the center of religious Jewish worship. It housed the Holy of Holies, which contained the Ark of the Covenant and was said to be the area upon which God's presence dwelt. The Al Aqsa Mosque now resides on the site. The temple served as the primary location for the offering of sacrifices and was the main gathering place in Israel during Jewish holidays. The Temple Mount compound has remained a focal point for Jewish services over the millennia. Prayers for a return to Jerusalem have been uttered by Jews since the Second Temple was destroyed, according to Jewish tradition.

Jews worldwide pray facing toward the Western Wall, a portion of an outer courtyard of the Temple left intact.

The Al Aqsa Mosque was constructed around 709 to serve as a shrine near another shrine, the Dome of the Rock, which was built by an Islamic caliph. Al Aqsa was meant to mark what Muslims came to believe Muhammad, the founder of Islam, ascended to heaven. Jerusalem is not mentioned in the Quran. Islamic tradition states Mohammed took a journey in a single night from a sacred mosque believed to be in Mecca in southern Saudi Arabia to the farthest mosque and from a rock there ascended to heaven. The farthest mosque later became associated with Jerusalem. Most Waqf officials deny the Jewish temples ever existed in spite of what many call overwhelming archaeological evidence, including the discovery of Temple-era artifacts linked to worship, tunnels that snake under the Temple Mount and over 100 ritual immersion pools believed to have been used by Jewish priests to cleanse themselves before services. The cleansing process is detailed in the Torah.

According to the website of the Palestinian Authority's Office for Religious Affairs, the Temple Mount is Muslim property. The site claims the Western Wall, which it refers to as the Al-Boraq Wall, previously was a docking station for horses. It states Muhammed tied his horse, named Boraq, to the wall before ascending to heaven.

In an interview with WND, Kamal Hatib, vice-chairman of the Islamic Movement, which will take part in the podium installation ceremonies, claimed the Al-Aqsa Mosque was built by angels, and that a Jewish Temple may have existed, but not in Jerusalem. The Movement, which works closely with the Waqf, is the Muslim group in Israel most identified with the Temple Mount. When the First Temple was built by Solomon – God bless him – Al Aqsa was already built. We don't believe that a prophet like Solomon would have built the Temple at a place where a mosque existed, said Hatib. And all the historical and archaeological facts deny any relation between the temples and the location of Al Aqsa. We must know that Jerusalem was occupied and that people left many things, coins and other things everywhere. This does not mean in any way that there is a link between the people who left these things and the place where these things were left, Hatib said.

Al Aqsa official to WND: Jewish Temples existed

Last June, in a widely circulated WND interview, a former senior leader of the Waqf contradicted his colleagues, saying he has come to believe the first and second Jewish Temples existed and stood at the current location of the Al Aqsa Mosque.

The leader, who was dismissed from his Waqf position after he quietly made his beliefs known, said Al Aqsa custodians passed down stories for centuries from generation to generation indicating the mosque was built at the site of the former Jewish temples. He said the Muslim world's widespread denial of the existence of the Jewish temples is political in nature and is not rooted in facts. Prophet Solomon built his famous Temple at the same place that later the Al Aqsa Mosque was built. It cannot be a coincidence that these different holy sites were built at the same place. The Jewish Temple Mount existed, said the former senior Waqf leader, speaking to WorldNetDaily from an apartment in an obscure alley in Jerusalem's Old City. The former leader, who is well known to Al Aqsa scholars and Waqf officials, spoke on condition his name be withheld, claiming an on-the-record interview would endanger his life. He told WND true Islamic tradition relates the Jewish temples once stood at the site of the Al Aqsa Mosque. [The existence of the Jewish Temple at the site is obvious] according to studies, researches and archaeological signs that we were also exposed to. But especially according to the history that passed from one generation to another we believe Al Aqsa was built on the same place were the Temple of the Jews the first monotheistic religion existed.

He cited samples of some stories he said were related orally by Islamic leaders:

We learned that the Christians, especially those who believed that Jesus was crucified by the Jews, used to throw their garbage at the Temple Mount site. They used to throw the pieces of cotton and other material Christian women used in cleaning the blood of their monthly cycle.

Doing so they believed that they were humiliating, insulting and harming the Jews at their holiest site. This way they are hurting them like Jews hurt Christians when crucifying Jesus. It is known also that most of the first guards of Al Aqsa when it was built were Jews. The Muslims knew at that time that they could not find any more loyal and faithful than the Jews to guard the mosque and its compound. They knew that the Jews have a special relation with this place.

Temple Mount: No-prayer zone

Currently, even though the Jewish state controls Jerusalem, the Waqf serve as the custodians of the Temple Mount under a deal made with the Israeli government that restricts non-Muslim prayer at the site. The Temple Mount was opened to the general public until September 2000, when the Palestinians started their intifada by throwing stones at Jewish worshipers after then-candidate for prime minister Ariel Sharon visited the area. Following the onset of violence, the new Sharon government closed the Mount to non-Muslims, using checkpoints to control all pedestrian traffic for fear of further clashes with the Palestinians. The Temple Mount was reopened to non-Muslims in August 2003. It still is open but only Sundays through Thursdays, 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., and not on any Christian, Jewish or Muslim holidays or other days considered sensitive by the Waqf.

During open days, Jews and Christian are allowed to ascend the Mount, usually through organized tours and only if they conform first to a strict set of guidelines, which includes demands that they not pray or bring any holy objects to the site. Visitors are banned from entering any of the mosques without direct Waqf permission. Rules are enforced by Waqf agents, who watch tours closely and alert nearby Israeli police to any breaking of their guidelines.