Wednesday, January 18, 2006

TEMPLE MOUNT WATCH:
Study offers solutions for J'lem holy sites
By ETGAR LEFKOVITS (Jerusalem Post)

Israel and the Palestinians should allow the international community to supervise Jerusalem's Temple Mount and the city's other holy sites, a study carried out by a liberal Jerusalem think tank and released Tuesday said.

"The strong connection of members of all monotheistic religions to the city on the one hand, and the lack of trust between Israel and the Palestinian Authority on the other justifies some international intervention in overseeing the area, especially from the security
standpoint and with regard to preserving the holy sites," the study by the Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies states.

[...]

However, some of the response has not been enthusiastic:
The study, which was widely criticized by Israeli politicians on both the right and left, notes that both sides may in fact perceive international sovereignty on the Temple Mount as a desecration and try to fight such a plan.

Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski called the proposal an "irresponsible political and populist plan" which has been rehashed during an election campaign.

He said that it was simply unacceptable that the most holy site in Judaism would fall under international control.

Ynet News has more on the proposal here and more on the negative reaction within Israel here.

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