It's time for Israel to end Temple Mount appeasement for good - opinion

The author contends that Israel must definitively cease its policy of appeasement concerning the Temple Mount, drawing on personal experiences spanning over 16 years. He recounts two visits with his daughter to the holy site: one in December 2009 and another on the recent Shavuot eve. These visits highlight what he describes as the Israeli government's gradual, yet insufficient, withdrawal from appeasing Arab terror and intolerance.

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Was your daughter swaying?

During the 2009 visit, shortly before his daughter's wedding, both he and his daughter were subjected to police questioning. The author was specifically asked if his daughter had been swaying, an action the police deemed provocative and unlawful for a Jew on the Temple Mount. He was lectured that any body motion, gesture, or facial expression by Jews could potentially incite religious war with surrounding Muslim countries, illustrating the extent of the Israeli authorities' perceived capitulation to threats of Muslim violence.

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You know... how that was quite obviously a provocative action and, therefore, an unlawful and improper movement for a Jew to make on the Temple Mount.

The author criticizes the Israeli government and police for prioritizing ease of their jobs over enforcing fundamental civil rights. He questions what actions would be taken if Jewish groups threatened violence to ban Muslim prayer at the al-Aqsa Mosque. He urges the authorities to abandon their fear-driven approach and uphold public order, rather than restricting basic rights. His daughter's distress at being detained and questioned the day before her wedding underscores the personal impact of these policies, leading him to believe that by the time her children marry, Jews will be able to pray freely on the Temple Mount.

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It was extremely distressing to note the extent to which the Israeli government and police had abjectly surrendered to threats of Muslim violence.