Dangerous Liaison - Dynamics of the Temple Movements

01/03/2013

Recent tensions on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif are not isolated events but part of the growing rise of Temple movements-organizations and groups committed to challenging existing arrangements on this most contested of holy spaces. Despite Israel’s chief rabbis recently reinstating the ban on Jews ascending the Temple Mount, ascents are on the rise, along with a range of activities to realize the Mount as the site of the Third Temple. The steady advance of these movements - and the permeation of their values into the public discourse - represents one of the most volatile issues in the Middle East conflict today. Ir Amim’s comprehensive report analyzes the dynamics of the growth of the Temple movements, their increasing acceptance in the political center in Israel and the nature and depth of ties between Temple groups and the Israeli political establishment.