TEMPLE MOUNT FAITHFUL

Israeli extremist religious movement, founded in 1967 (and still headed) by Gershon Salomon. Its objectives are to liberate the Temple Mount in Jerusalem from Islamic occupation; to remove what it views as "pagan shrines," which it suggests should be relocated to Mecca; to consecrate the Temple Mount so that it can become the moral and spiritual center of the Jewish people as the chosen people of God; to built the Third Temple (the Temple of Solomon) in accordance with the words of the Hebrew prophets; to make Jerusalem the undivided capital of the State of Israel; to "reject false 'peace talks' which will result in the dividing of Israel and the breaking of God's covenant"; and to support the settlements in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the Golan Heights, which it considers holy because "God commanded the people of Israel to settle the land completely." According to this group, "Israel is not permitted to give any of this land to any group for any purpose since the land is a grant to Israel from God Himself. Any division of the Land and the giving of it to another people represents a breach of the Covenant with God."

In 1990, a violent confrontation between the group and Muslims at Temple Mount led to a confrontation with Israeli police, which left twenty-one Muslims dead. The group has at various times attempted to lay a cornerstone for the Third Temple, but has been prevented from doing so by Israeli police because of the likelihood that riots would be provoked. This issue was taken all the way to Israel's Supreme Court, which in 2001 allowed the stone to be moved temporarily to the gates of the site but ruled that in the interests of religious peace, it could not be placed on the Temple Mount itself. The group, though small, conducts marches and demonstrations when permitted to do so and has received a good deal of publicity.

SEE ALSO Haram al-Sharif.