Hold on to Israel's sovereignty
Most of the violent flare-ups in the relations between Jews and Arabs since 1920 have begun at the Temple Mount, or because of it, or at the very least had something to do with it. The same is true today.
In every instance, the violence has always been instigated by the Palestinians/Arabs -- though at times the Jews provide superficial excuses, which the leaders of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement cynically exploit to aggravate the situation. All it takes is for Jews to set up a traditional partition between men and women without thinking ahead, and the Arabs will launch an investigative committee.
Even after the liberation of Jerusalem, Israel continued to walk on eggshells inside the Holy Basin. On the advice of former Supreme Court President Meir Shamgar, then-Defense Minister Moshe Dayan ordered the removal of the blue-and-white Israeli flag from the Temple Mount and handed control over the site to the local waqf. And fears arose years later that the wall around the Mount was starting the crack, the Israelis rushed to Amman to consult with the royal family there.
Israeli sovereignty over the Temple Mount was always fragile. It is a controversial issue that has caused deep rifts within Israel's leadership. But it should continue, despite the fact that it is turning Israel into the hostage of Palestinian ruffians who are constantly looking to incite and to banish coexistence.
There are also Jews looking to ignite the Temple Mount, initiating dangerous provocations. The right and responsible question is not "why are Jews denied certain rights-" but rather, whether in the current delicate situation it is appropriate to change the daily operations at the site. The answer is: obviously not. Especially in the case of Israel, where every move could shake up the fragile understanding with a significant number of Arab states, which are dealing now with other crises. The more these countries (and Israel) desire prolonged calm, the more the radicals despise it.
In practice, Israel's role has boiled down to preventing Palestinian terrorism from gaining ground at Al-Aqsa. It is dealing with false propaganda suggesting that Israel seeks to destroy the mosque (even Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has made this claim) and using force against those who disturb the relative peace there (in most cases, they are Israeli Arabs or Palestinians).
It is a difficult and burdensome time. Stone throwers at the Temple Mount are not punished in the same way that stone throwers are punished elsewhere. Perhaps the right move -- which could also appeal to countries like Saudi Arabia -- would be to establish an international commission of observers with a strong Arab representation. The purpose would not be to devise a permanent solution, but to keep a close eye on the identity of those who are upsetting the status quo. The first ones to whom we should suggest such a solution are Cairo, Riyadh and Amman. At the very least, Israel will enjoy a show of goodwill.
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