I don't know what President of the US Barak Obama is planning to do while on his trip to Israel, or what will be on his agenda... but I do not expect him to pay a visit to Har HaBayit. It is too sensitive of an issue for him to want to appear as influencing it one way or the other, and it is a very short trip - I am sure his itinerary is full with mostly meetings, and very little "sightseeing".
But, if he should wish to pay a visit to the holiest spot on Earth, while I would like for him to be taken up by Israeli leaders through the Mugrabim Gate that Jews use to ascend the Mount, the Palestinians have other plans in mind.
According to this Channel 2 report, the PA has called upon Barak Obama to coordinate with it a visit to the Temple Mount (though they don't call it Temple Mount). Sheikh Akram Sabri, former Mufti of Jerusalem, said that Obama, as any guest, would be welcome to Al Aqsa, but he would have to enter via the Lions Gate and not the Mugrabim Gate, so as not to harm the authority of the Muslim control over Temple Mount.
If the choices are to not visit at all, or to visit in a way that will strengthen PA control of the area, I would prefer he not visit the site at all...
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Besides the superficial issues that arose, there was in depth mystical talk at http://yearsofawe.blogspot.co.il/ about Ariel Sharon's visit up to the Temple Mount in 2000 which set off a new step in the geulah.
ReplyDeleteA visit by Obama would probably lead to another step higher.
Josh
I wonder what "today's prophets" would have to say about this? Not just the Kotel, but up to the place of places? Would this enrage HaShem?
ReplyDelete