Turning Point USA

Tension. That’s what you feel when you visit the Temple Mount in Israel. Everyone around is feeling such strong emotions that you can feel it as you walk by.

The Temple Mount is currently under Muslim control in Israel. This historic landmark is the epicenter of spiritual and physical controvery in Jerusalem.

Muslims believe that this is the location Mohammed ascended to heaven. It is also the site where two Jewish temples once stood. While walking around the temple platform there was so much tension between the Jews and Muslims in the are you could feel it. Muslim men told us to cover up more than we already were. They also told us to take “normal photos” because posing and smiling wasn’t allowed. Before we went to the platform we were told to cover any religious Items including cross necklaces. We also couldn’t bring a Bible into the area, nor were we allowed to pray. The Israeli police was present to try and keep peace on the platform, as conflict often breaks out here.

The Dome of the Rock was built on the temple platform on top of the foundation stone which is held sacred to both Muslims and Jews.

Every religion holds some sort of significance to this location but for Jews, this is the holiest site. Everyday Jews gather outside the walls of the Temple Mount to pray at the Western Wall. The portion of the Western Wall called the “Wailing Wall” is the closest Jews can get to where the first two temples were located (Solomon’s Temple and Herod’s temple).

So how is the Temple Mount under Muslim control? After the six-day war in 1967 when Israel took control over Jerusalem, Israeli leaders decided to allow the control of the Temple Mount area to remain with the Islamic trust. This gave them the authority over the Temple Mount and Dome of the rock. Since 1967, non-Muslims have been allowed to go up onto the Temple Mount but are under strict regulations.