(Israel Hayom) Maj. Gen. (ret.) Yaakov Amidror - From a narrow, local perspective, there was solid logic behind the decision to place metal detectors at the gates leading to the Temple Mount following the July 14 murder of two policemen at the site. However, the Temple Mount is bigger than that, as it is very significant not only to Israelis, but also to Palestinians and to Jordan, which controls the Waqf, the Islamic trust that acts as custodian of the site. The decision to reconsider the metal detectors indicated maturity and self-confidence on the part of the Jewish state. Once it became clear that this was neither the time nor the place to prove Israel's might, there was no point in insisting on them. Israel did well to grant the Jordanian request and ease pressure off its ally in the war on terror. In hindsight, the events on the Temple Mount, serious as they were, had little effect on Israel's relations with the Jordanians or the Palestinians. Israel demonstrated responsibility and managed to maintain its strategic relations with Jordan. The writer is former National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Israel and former Head of Israel's National Security Council.
2017-08-21 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive