Israel Bans Academic Program Promoting Demolition of ‘Dome of the Rock’ Mosque

A general view shows part of Jerusalem's Old City and the Dome of the Rock December 5, 2017. REUTERS/Ammar Awad
A general view shows part of Jerusalem's Old City and the Dome of the Rock December 5, 2017. REUTERS/Ammar Awad
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Israel Bans Academic Program Promoting Demolition of ‘Dome of the Rock’ Mosque

A general view shows part of Jerusalem's Old City and the Dome of the Rock December 5, 2017. REUTERS/Ammar Awad
A general view shows part of Jerusalem's Old City and the Dome of the Rock December 5, 2017. REUTERS/Ammar Awad

The Israeli Education Ministry decided to remove the “Student for the Temple Mount” group from the academic program in Jewish schools.

The group include activists who support the establishment of the "Third Temple" (the Jewish Temple) on the ruins of Omar Mosque (Dome of the Rock in Al Aqsa Mosque)

The decision followed leaked information that the group is setting up a topic called "Knowing the Importance of the Temple Mount," which speaks of the Aqsa as the Temple Mount

The topic points out that the Dome of the Rock Mosque replaced the Jewish temple and must be rebuilt in its original place, which means an explicit call to demolish the mosque.

According to Israel’s Channel 10 TV report, the program is made by the far right-wing movement "Im Tirtzu.”

The report said that this movement is broadcasting to school students the controversial agenda of the Temple Mount and its activists.

The group is linked to the banned Kahane gang, which calls for the expulsion of Palestinian Arabs from their homeland and the cleansing of Israel of non-Jews.

Many organizations were established from this group, and they have carried out practical activities to spread despair among Palestinians to leave and carried out terror operations, during which Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem were burnt.

They also published maps of the Temple Mount, removing the Dome of the Rock’s picture from them and replacing it with the Jewish Temple.

In addition to that, a cannon was also seized on the roof of a house in Jerusalem, and its nozzle was pointed towards the Aqsa Mosque.

This group was banned from the Israeli law because of the seriousness of its racist rhetoric, but its activists knew how to continue their activity and promote their ideas in other contexts.



Gallant: Israel Not in Favor of War with Hezbollah but Ready for One

FILED - 21 February 2024, Israel, Tel Aviv: Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant addresses the annual Conference of Presidents at the MoD Headquarters in Tel Aviv. Photo: Shachar Yurman/GPO/dpa
FILED - 21 February 2024, Israel, Tel Aviv: Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant addresses the annual Conference of Presidents at the MoD Headquarters in Tel Aviv. Photo: Shachar Yurman/GPO/dpa
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Gallant: Israel Not in Favor of War with Hezbollah but Ready for One

FILED - 21 February 2024, Israel, Tel Aviv: Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant addresses the annual Conference of Presidents at the MoD Headquarters in Tel Aviv. Photo: Shachar Yurman/GPO/dpa
FILED - 21 February 2024, Israel, Tel Aviv: Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant addresses the annual Conference of Presidents at the MoD Headquarters in Tel Aviv. Photo: Shachar Yurman/GPO/dpa

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said that although Israel does not want to go to war with Hezbollah, he believes that his army is ready for one, dpa reported Saturday.
On Friday, Israeli media quoted Gallant as saying during a visit to troops near Israel's northern border with Lebanon that : "We are working on a political solution. This is always the best option... We are not seeking war but we are prepared for it."
"If Hezbollah chooses war, we know what we are doing... If they choose peace, we will respond appropriately”, he added.
Since Israel’s war on Gaza on October 7, the Israeli army and Hezbollah traded a near daily exchange of fire in the border area between Israel and Lebanon.
Recently, fighting has flared up significantly prompting several countries to issue travel advisories to urge their citizens to leave Lebanon.
Fears arose of a potential full-scale war between Israel and Lebanon that could escalate into a regional conflict involving Iran and the United States.
Iran's mission to the United Nations warned earlier on Saturday in a post on X platform that if Israel launches "a wide-ranging military aggression, it will lead to a devastating war”.