Dr. Gabi Barkai of the Committee to Prevent Temple Mount Destruction told Arutz-7 today that the pace may have slowed down somewhat, but the Moslem Waqf\'s illegal construction activities is causing ongoing destruction to the Jewish artifacts on the holy site. \"Aerial photos show that the works continue,\" Barkai said, \"and we can see heavy machinery moving around all over the Mount. In addition, hundreds of Arab volunteers go to the Temple Mount every weekend and help out in earthmoving works. Trucks are not permitted to enter, but the destruction continues nonetheless.\" He said that a giant stone-cutting saw is hard at work, cutting down ancient stones: \"The Waqf is apparently preparing for the time when they may not be allowed to bring building materials in - so instead of using \'modern\' stones, they will use the ancient ones… We of course don\'t have exact information, since we are not allowed to enter the site to see for ourselves...\"
Michael Ben-Ari of the Movement for the Establishment of the Holy Temple later spoke on Arutz-7, in honor of today\'s Fast of Shiva Assar [17] B\' Tammuz commemorating the beginning of the destruction of Jerusalem. His comments on the situation:
\"It is once again the 17th of Tammuz, and again we cry and fast. We have been doing this for many years now, and we must again ask ourselves: What is the purpose of this fast? After the destruction of the First Temple, the Jews in Babylonia, who were living quite comfortably, asked a supposedly Halakhic [Jewish legal] question: Must we continue to commemorate these days of fasting? They asked this question even as a small remnant of Jews in Jerusalem was trying to do what they could to rebuild the Temple, against all odds. The situation was not unlike today\'s. Basically, their question was, \"Is this attempt to rebuild the Temple something serious, or just a passing fad?\" The Prophet\'s answer was that fasting is not an end, but rather a means to repentance and to real deeds. Whoever sits in Babylonia and doesn\'t help out in the efforts to rebuild, his fast is not accomplishing its goal; deeds are required, as well as great faith...
\"Once again now, we see on television and in the newspapers the pictures of the destruction on the Temple Mount. It\'s our own fault, for being apathetic to the Temple Mount... This is the time to get up and do deeds, to prove to ourselves and to the world that it\'s ours - or at least to stop these acts of destruction!\"
Ben-Ari announced that next Wednesday in Jerusalem, many leading Yesha rabbis and yeshiva heads will convene and will \"hopefully make some important decisions that will renew our connection with the Temple Mount. We must do what we can, and G-d will do as He sees fit.\"
Michael Ben-Ari of the Movement for the Establishment of the Holy Temple later spoke on Arutz-7, in honor of today\'s Fast of Shiva Assar [17] B\' Tammuz commemorating the beginning of the destruction of Jerusalem. His comments on the situation:
\"It is once again the 17th of Tammuz, and again we cry and fast. We have been doing this for many years now, and we must again ask ourselves: What is the purpose of this fast? After the destruction of the First Temple, the Jews in Babylonia, who were living quite comfortably, asked a supposedly Halakhic [Jewish legal] question: Must we continue to commemorate these days of fasting? They asked this question even as a small remnant of Jews in Jerusalem was trying to do what they could to rebuild the Temple, against all odds. The situation was not unlike today\'s. Basically, their question was, \"Is this attempt to rebuild the Temple something serious, or just a passing fad?\" The Prophet\'s answer was that fasting is not an end, but rather a means to repentance and to real deeds. Whoever sits in Babylonia and doesn\'t help out in the efforts to rebuild, his fast is not accomplishing its goal; deeds are required, as well as great faith...
\"Once again now, we see on television and in the newspapers the pictures of the destruction on the Temple Mount. It\'s our own fault, for being apathetic to the Temple Mount... This is the time to get up and do deeds, to prove to ourselves and to the world that it\'s ours - or at least to stop these acts of destruction!\"
Ben-Ari announced that next Wednesday in Jerusalem, many leading Yesha rabbis and yeshiva heads will convene and will \"hopefully make some important decisions that will renew our connection with the Temple Mount. We must do what we can, and G-d will do as He sees fit.\"