<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[Occupied Palestine | فلسطين]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[occupiedpalestine]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/author/hajarhajar/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Jewish conference calls for &#8220;building Third Temple on ruins of Al-Aqsa&nbsp;Mosque&#8221;]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<div class="article-toolswrap">
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<div class="article-meta"><span class="createdate"> Wednesday, 05 January 2011 14:00 </span></div>
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<p>A conference of ultra-orthodox Hasidic Jews in West Jerusalem has  called for the destruction of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the building of the  &#8220;third temple&#8221; on its ruins. In response, the Aqsa Foundation for  Endowment and Heritage warned of an escalation of the attempts by the  Israeli occupation authorities and &#8220;its arms&#8221; &#8211; conferences such as  this &#8211; to promote construction of the so-called &#8220;third temple&#8221; at the  expense of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock.</p>
<p>In a press release, the Foundation said that Israeli Prime Minister  Benjamin Netanyahu is behind these calls. The Jewish groups pushing for  the temple have urged Netanyahu to fulfil his promise that in the event  of his re-election, he would approve and arrange for Jewish prayers to  be held in Al-Aqsa.</p>
<p>Ultra-orthodox Hasidim have become more  active in recent weeks, targeting Al-Aqsa Mosque, desecrating it and  working towards its &#8220;Judaization&#8221;. Reports and pictures from the  conference held on 30th December have been published on a number of  right-wing and ultra-orthodox websites. The conference, it is claimed,  was held especially to address the Temple issue. Its programme included  demonstrations of the rituals to be observed in a new temple; the  organisers presented the conference as if such rituals would be taking  place in situ sooner rather than later. Right-wing Israeli groups have  demanded that the Israeli Prime Minister makes the necessary  arrangements with the police so that Jews can pray inside Al-Aqsa.  Letters dating from 1995 and 2005 have been produced as evidence of  Netanyahu’s promise to facilitate such prayers if he became Prime  Minister for a second term; he was re-elected in 2009.</p>
<p>Successive  Israeli governments have played down claims that Jews are planning to  demolish Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock and replace the  historic Islamic sites with a Jewish temple, despite the overwhelming  evidence that many organisations within Israel and in the Jewish  diaspora have that as their prime aim. Some ultra-orthodox Jews say that  it is forbidden for Jews to pray anywhere with Al-Aqsa Sanctuary as  they have no idea where the &#8220;Holy of Holies&#8221; lies; historically, only  the High Priest of the temple was allowed to enter that inner sanctum.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.middleeastmonitor.org.uk/news/middle-east/1920-jewish-conference-calls-for-qbuilding-third-temple-on-ruins-of-al-aqsa-mosqueq">Jewish conference calls for &#8220;building Third Temple on ruins of Al-Aqsa Mosque&#8221;</a>.</p>
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