Temple Mount and Eretz Yisrael Faithful Movement
Encyclopedia
The Temple Mount and Eretz Yisrael (Land of Israel) Faithful Movement is an Orthodox Jewish movement, based in Jerusalem, Israel
whose goal is to rebuild the Third Jewish Temple
on the Temple Mount
in Jerusalem and re-institute the practice of ritual sacrifice
. The Movement was founded by former Israel Defence Forces officer and Middle Eastern studies
lecturer Gershon Salomon. Members of the movement are referred to as the "Temple Mount Faithful." The group was established in 1967.
On October 8, 1990, seventeen Palestinians were killed and over 100 others injured by Israeli Border Police in the 1990 Temple Mount riots
triggered by an announcement by the Temple Mount Faithful that they were going to lay a cornerstone for a Third Jewish Temple
on the Temple Mount
in Jerusalem. After the riots the police prohibited Salomon from entering the Temple Mount; his appeal of that decision was subsequently denied by Israel's High Court of Justice.
The Temple Mount Faithful was the first significant group to advocate the Jewish takeover of the Temple Mount and during the 1970s and 1980s it remained the most visible group with that position. Initially, the group presented its argument largely in terms of nationalistic rather than religious symbolism. In a 1983 interview Salomon stated that "whoever controls the Temple Mount has rights over the Land of Israel". Over time, Gershon Salomon developed a more religiously oriented apocalyptic and messianic platform, which, however, was distinctly non-Orthodox
in character. Tensions with the more Orthodox
elements in the group caused a formal split in 1987, when a more religiously-oriented splinter group, called the "Movement for the Establishment of the Temple" was founded. Subsequently the influence of the Temple Mount Faithful among the radical Jewish activists gradually waned, although the group still retains significant visibility.
The Temple Mount Faithful functions as a protest movement, but, unlike some other radical Jewish groups, it attempts to operate within the Israeli law. Typically, shortly before major Jewish religious festivals, the group requests a permit from the Israeli police to enter the Temple Mount compound and conduct prayer services there. These requests are routinely denied and are followed by appeals to the Israel's High Court of Justice. The High Court, also routinely, permits the group to enter the site but not to pray there; and such permit is contingent on the Israeli police concluding that the security situation would allow such entry. The police conclude that the entry cannot be permitted for security reasons and the Temple Mount Faithful are not allowed to enter the Temple Mount compound. As a result, their demonstrations usually proceed to the Mograbi Gate and are stopped by the police there, outside of the compound.
In recent years Salomon increasingly shifted the focus of the Temple Mount Faithful in the apocalyptic and messianic direction, and restoration of the Jewish Temple
became one of the central objectives of the movement. During the same period the movement developed close ties with the Christian fundamentalist
circles and it receives significant financial assistance from some Christian groups, particularly in the U.S.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
whose goal is to rebuild the Third Jewish Temple
Temple in Jerusalem
The Temple in Jerusalem or Holy Temple , refers to one of a series of structures which were historically located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem, the current site of the Dome of the Rock. Historically, these successive temples stood at this location and functioned as the centre of...
on the Temple Mount
Temple Mount
The Temple Mount, known in Hebrew as , and in Arabic as the Haram Ash-Sharif , is one of the most important religious sites in the Old City of Jerusalem. It has been used as a religious site for thousands of years...
in Jerusalem and re-institute the practice of ritual sacrifice
Korban
The term offering as found in the Hebrew Bible in relation to the worship of Ancient Israel is mainly represented by the Hebrew noun korban whether for an animal or other offering...
. The Movement was founded by former Israel Defence Forces officer and Middle Eastern studies
Middle Eastern studies
Middle Eastern studies is a name given to a number of academic programs associated with the study of the history, culture, politics, economies, and geography of the Middle East, an area that is generally interpreted to cover a range of nations extending from North Africa in the west to the Chinese...
lecturer Gershon Salomon. Members of the movement are referred to as the "Temple Mount Faithful." The group was established in 1967.
On October 8, 1990, seventeen Palestinians were killed and over 100 others injured by Israeli Border Police in the 1990 Temple Mount riots
1990 Temple Mount riots
The 1990 Temple Mount riots, also known as Black Monday or the Al Aqsa Massacre, was an event that took place in Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem at 10:30 am on Monday, 8 October, 1990 before Zuhr prayer during the third year of the first intifada. They began after a decision by the Temple Mount Faithful...
triggered by an announcement by the Temple Mount Faithful that they were going to lay a cornerstone for a Third Jewish Temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
on the Temple Mount
Temple Mount
The Temple Mount, known in Hebrew as , and in Arabic as the Haram Ash-Sharif , is one of the most important religious sites in the Old City of Jerusalem. It has been used as a religious site for thousands of years...
in Jerusalem. After the riots the police prohibited Salomon from entering the Temple Mount; his appeal of that decision was subsequently denied by Israel's High Court of Justice.
The Temple Mount Faithful was the first significant group to advocate the Jewish takeover of the Temple Mount and during the 1970s and 1980s it remained the most visible group with that position. Initially, the group presented its argument largely in terms of nationalistic rather than religious symbolism. In a 1983 interview Salomon stated that "whoever controls the Temple Mount has rights over the Land of Israel". Over time, Gershon Salomon developed a more religiously oriented apocalyptic and messianic platform, which, however, was distinctly non-Orthodox
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
in character. Tensions with the more Orthodox
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
elements in the group caused a formal split in 1987, when a more religiously-oriented splinter group, called the "Movement for the Establishment of the Temple" was founded. Subsequently the influence of the Temple Mount Faithful among the radical Jewish activists gradually waned, although the group still retains significant visibility.
The Temple Mount Faithful functions as a protest movement, but, unlike some other radical Jewish groups, it attempts to operate within the Israeli law. Typically, shortly before major Jewish religious festivals, the group requests a permit from the Israeli police to enter the Temple Mount compound and conduct prayer services there. These requests are routinely denied and are followed by appeals to the Israel's High Court of Justice. The High Court, also routinely, permits the group to enter the site but not to pray there; and such permit is contingent on the Israeli police concluding that the security situation would allow such entry. The police conclude that the entry cannot be permitted for security reasons and the Temple Mount Faithful are not allowed to enter the Temple Mount compound. As a result, their demonstrations usually proceed to the Mograbi Gate and are stopped by the police there, outside of the compound.
In recent years Salomon increasingly shifted the focus of the Temple Mount Faithful in the apocalyptic and messianic direction, and restoration of the Jewish Temple
Temple in Jerusalem
The Temple in Jerusalem or Holy Temple , refers to one of a series of structures which were historically located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem, the current site of the Dome of the Rock. Historically, these successive temples stood at this location and functioned as the centre of...
became one of the central objectives of the movement. During the same period the movement developed close ties with the Christian fundamentalist
Fundamentalist Christianity
Christian fundamentalism, also known as Fundamentalist Christianity, or Fundamentalism, arose out of British and American Protestantism in the late 19th century and early 20th century among evangelical Christians...
circles and it receives significant financial assistance from some Christian groups, particularly in the U.S.