Temple plan could ignite WWIII
By Kaye Corbett Copyright 1998, WorldNetDaily.com
JERUSALEM -- While the world continues to discuss Clinton's sincapades, a small group of religious zealots, known as the Temple
Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement, could bring this planet to the brink of World War III tomorrow morning.
Led by expert researcher and lecturer, Gershon Salomon, the group intends to lay a 4.5 ton marble cornerstone for the building of
the Third Temple at the location of the First and Second Temples.
Salomon has explained the date was selected because it coincides with the third day of the festival of Succot (Feast of
Tabernacles) when King David, supposedly, brought the Ark of the Covenant from the City of David to the Temple Mount.
Now under Islamic rule, the Har Habayit (Temple Mount) is the most important holy site in Jewish history and the Temple's
restoration is even part of every observant Jews' prescribed prayer.
In October 1990, 17 Palestinians were killed when it was rumored throughout the Islamic quarters that the Israeli "infidels" were
taking over the Temple Mount. Even a month later, Muslim youth were still throwing rocks at anyone who approached the area.
CBS Radio reporter and author, David Dolan, told WorldNetDaily that "there's not a chance in the world that the cornerstone will be
laid. It's a publicity thing. There would be huge riots if this happened."
Dolan, author of the 1998 book, "Israel at the Crossroads -- Fifty Years and Counting" dismissed the Temple Mount Faithful as a
group that "loves attention." The Israeli media and even those in the U.S. have ignored them. There's no talk in the media at all."
While Dolan rejected the Temple Mount Faithful's scheme, he re-iterated the tension throughout the Middle East and stated: "We
are on the brink of World War III."
Salomon intends to transport the cornerstone that has been brought out of Israel's desert area and and carry it on a big truck,
decorated with Israeli flags and the Star of David. The stone will be covered with a prayer shawl, known as a Tallith. Levites will then
play the Psalms of Ascent and a high priest will anoint the stone.
According to the Temple Mount Faithful, the stone will be taken to Jerusalem with shofars being blown along the way, for the special
ceremony of Nisuch HaMaaim at the Pool of Shiloah. Water then will be poured on the cornerstone and be anointed.
Perhaps, the group can reach the Pool of Shiloah, however, security forces will definitely interrupt their route if they try to take the
stone and an ancient Torah scroll to the Temple Mount. They intend to drive the truck around the Temple Mount seven times exactly
as Joshua did at Jericho.
While the Temple Mount Faithful, who have invited thousands to meet at the Western Wall Plaza near the Mugrabi Gate, believes
the holy site will be open to them somehow. However, Dolan explained "the government won't allow it to happen. If you've ever been
to Jerusalem, you know about the logistics and the number of levels of security there."
Salomon, 58, believes the hand of God has been on him since he was a child and the responsibility of the Temple restoration has
been given to him.
A 10th generation Jerusalemite, Salomon joined the Israeli Defense Forces and led a company in the Golan Heights during the War
of Independence. He was injured in a battle with the Syrians in 1958 when he was run over by a tank. While Syrian troops were
taught to "shoot to kill," they ran away.
Later, according to Salomon, when the Syrians reported to the U.N. about the incident, they claimed they'd seen thousands of
angels around the IDF officer. He explained he'd heard the voice of God and understood it as a divine call about the Temple Mount.
He was involved in the liberation of the Temple Mount during the Six-Day War in June 1967, however, in what he considers a "terrible
decision," then Israeli defence minister, Moshe Dayan, turned over the control of the Temple Mount to the Moslem authorities a
month later.
"The Palestinians, who claim Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state and deny any ancient Jewish rights to the
Temple Mount, consider any encroachment by Israel upon their holy place as a violation of the Peace Accord and a prelude to holy
war," explained Israeli expert, Dr. Randall Price.
The First Temple, built by King Solomon, was burned down by the Babylonians in 586 BC while the Second Temple, rebuilt by the
Judean leader Zerubbabel and later re-constructed by the Judean king, Herod the Great, was destroyed by the Roman 10th legion in
70 AD.
Another key reason, the Temple Mount Faithful will be deterred this week from attempting to lay the cornerstone on the Temple
Mount, is the political fact that U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright arrived in Jerusalem last night for a three-day visit.
Kaye Corbett, formerly of the Toronto Sun, is a media consultant who lives in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. His articles are
provided courtesy of Corbett Communications, Falkland, BC, Canada.
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