Yossi Schwartz ISL (RCIT section in Israel/Occupied Palestine), 13.08.2024
The Romans’ destruction of the Jewish temple on Tisha B’Av was a monumental event, a chapter in history that left nothing of its grandeur behind. The renowned historian Josephus Plavious chronicled this significant historical event in The Wars of the Jews, providing a crucial historical context for understanding the significance of Al Aqsa.
In book VI, chapter X, the historian who was a witness wrote, “That whereas the city of Jerusalem had been taken five times previously, this was the second time of its desolation. A brief account of its history. §1. AND thus was Jerusalem taken, in the second year of the reign of Vespasian, on the eighth day of the month Gorpeius [Elul]. It had been taken five times before, though this was the second time of its desolation; for Shishak, the king of Egypt, and after him Antiochus, and after him Pompey, and after them Sosius and Herod, took the city, but still preserved it. Still, before all these, the king of Babylon conquered it, and made it desolate, one thousand four hundred and sixty-eight years and six months after it was built. But he who first built it was a potent man among the Canaanites, and is in our own tongue called [Melchisedek], the Righteous King, for such he really was; on which account he was [there] the first priest of God, and first built a temple [there], and called the city Jerusalem, which was formerly called Salem. However, David, the king of the Jews, ejected the Canaanites and settled his own people therein. The Babylonians demolished it entirely, four hundred and seventy-seven years and six months after him. And from king David, who was the first of the Jews who reigned therein, to this destruction under Titus, were one thousand one hundred and seventy-nine years; but from its first building, till this last destruction, were two thousand one hundred and seventy-seven years; yet hath not its great antiquity, nor its vast riches, nor the diffusion of its nation over all the habitable earth, nor the greatness of the veneration paid to it on a religious account, been sufficient to preserve it from being destroyed. And thus ended the siege of Jerusalem”.[i]
As the fire accelerated into an intense heat, the Jews trapped inside the Holy Place were burned alive. The gold, which lined the entire inner structure of the Holy Place, melted and ran into the cracks of the foundation stones. In their greed, the Roman soldiers, seeing the melted gold now cooled and laying between the temple’s stones, pried up one stone after another until the Temple was obliterated. In this way, the literal words of Jesus, not one stone shall be left upon another, were fulfilled[ii].”
Thus, the Zionist’s claim that the western wall is part of the second Jewish temple is no more than a myth of the same type that the European settler colonialists are the children of the ancient Jews.
“Aelia Capitolina, a city founded in 135 CE by the Romans on the ruins of Jerusalem, which their forces, under Titus, had destroyed in 70 CE. The name was given after the Second Jewish Revolt (132–135) in honor of the emperor Hadrian (whose women, or clan name, was Aelius) as well as the deities of the Capitoline Triad (Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva). A sanctuary to Jupiter was built on the Temple Mount, and statues of Roman deities were erected in the city, violating Old Testament law. The area was walled, and a sizable foreign population was imported; Jews were generally forbidden entrance to the city. The present walls of the Old City of Jerusalem follow the layout of the Roman walls. The name was used until Christianity became the Roman Empire’s official religion in the 4th century”.[iii].
“In 691/692 AD, Abd’ al-Malik bin Marwan began constructing what is nowadays known as the Dome of the Rock on top of the rock, which some believe was the place where Prophet Muhammad (saw) embarked on his Miraaj to the Heavens. However, it must be noted that regardless of whether the rock is important for this reason, its main significance derives from its being within the boundaries of Al Masjid Al Aqsa and, therefore, part of Al Masjid Al Aqsa.[iv]
Jewish prayer in the mosque’s courtyards has been banned for centuries, including by a succession of Israeli governments, and is highly controversial among Muslims and religious Jews alike.[v]”
“The Ottoman rulers were at pains to prevent sectarian clashes in the city – not just between Jews and Muslims, but also among various Christian sects claiming authority over the holy sites, and issued a number of edicts setting out how control of the city would be divided.
In 1757, Sultan Osman III issued a decree that established what became known as the “Status Quo”. Apart from attempting to prevent inter-communal fighting among Christians over sites like the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Status Quo also re-asserted a ban on non-Muslims entering Al-Aqsa and the right for Jews to use the Western Wall for prayer.
The Chief Rabbinate of Jerusalem has also, since 1921, officially banned Jews from entering the Temple Mount. The edict states that entry to the site is forbidden unless you are “ritually pure,” which is believed impossible under modern conditions.”
The Zionists call the Mosques the Temple Mount. The far-right Zionists seeking bloody confrontation with the Muslims are praying and singing Hatikvah to announce their messianic vision of destroying the Mosques and building a third temple instead of the Mosques.
“More than 1,500 Israelis Protected by the police went up to the Temple Mount this morning (Tuesday), to commemorate Tisha B’Av, the day the Temple was destroyed by the Romans about 2,000 years ago. These are significant numbers of Jews who go up to the mountain on one of the most important days when the keepers of tradition mark the destruction and the exodus.
Following the policy of the Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gabir, who arrived on the scene together with the Minister of the Negev and the Galilee Yitzhak Wasserlauf, Jews will be allowed to pray freely on the Temple Mount. Jews were recorded singing longing songs for the Temple. “The Temple Mount is quiet and peaceful,” said Asaf Fried from the Temple Mount’s directorate. “We didn’t see a waqf, very few Muslims. Jews walk as the owners of the house, as free people. We lamented, we said prayers for the peace of the kidnapped, I invite the entire people of Israel to go up to the Temple Mount.”[vi]
Ben-Gvir attempted to assert that the status quo, which has governed the site since 1967, under which Jews can visit but not pray there, no longer exists.
“Our policy is to allow prayer” on the Temple Mount, Ben-Gvir said as he visited the Al-Aqsa Mouse compound at that religious site, the holiest in Judaism and the third holiest in Islam. He linked his declaration of a policy change to the ongoing negotiations for a hostage agreement, which he has opposed and views as dangerous, preferring instead to solve the issue through a complete IDF victory over the terror group in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clashed with his far-right coalition partner coalition partner, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, over who had the right to set policy on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif.”[vii]
What a Joke! Netanyahu pretends to respect the rights of the Muslims while he massacres them in Gaza and the West Bank. Not only the Muslims but the captive Israelis. When a Hamas soldier kills captives, Hamas admits it and investigates it. When the Zionist army kills captives, they blame Hamas. And then they speak about human animals.
These racist ultra-nationalist criminals should stand trial, and their leaders should be hanged. However, we cannot trust the ICC, an imperialist institution, to do the job. This will come when the Arab revolution destroys the Zionist state. Two other hypocrites joined Netanyahu. The king of Jordan and the butcher Al Sisi.
To hell with all the murdering liars!
For Palestine, red and free from the river to the sea!
Endnotes:
[i] Josephus Plavious the war of the Jews Book 6 chapter 10
[ii] https://robertcliftonrobinson.com/not-one-stone-upon-another/
[iii] https://www.britannica.com/place/Aelia-Capitolina
[iv] https://www.visitmasjidalaqsa.com/islamic-history-of-al-masjid-al-aqsa/
[v] https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/aqsa-mosque-jewish-worship-controversial-why-explained
[vi] https://www.israelhayom.co.il/judaism/judaism-news/article/16250659
[vii]https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-814514