Israel must not agree to additional Jordanian construction in the Temple Mount complex. Certainly not a construction as noticeable as a fifth minaret. The Palestinians will see this as weakness and increase the pressure and violence. The symbolic victory will inspire them with a sense of competence for many years to come. And Jordan will of course not miss an opportunity to do PR and inflate its victory in the eyes of the Jordanians and the Palestinians.
This will also harm Israel’s relations with the Sunni Arab countries, who will see this agreement as weakness. This will harm relations with Morocco and Turkey, which have interests in the Temple Mount, and of course will distance normalization with Saudi Arabia, which is not only interested in status on the Temple Mount, but has even negotiated with Israel in the past, and continues to negotiate in the present. This will weaken the possibility that Israel will be able to grant the Saudis rights on the Temple Mount, which could strengthen the chance of normalization with the Saudis.
The move will also weaken Israel in the eyes of the Americans, Europeans, Russians, and Chinese. Everyone. Jordan has been using threats and a show of force at Israel’s expense for many years. She humiliates us in public and strengthens her king status at our expense not only in the internal Jordanian arena, but also in the regional and global arena. This is despite the peace agreement and its great dependence on us, from a political, economic and security point of view. This must stop.
Even if the Israeli government and its leader come to the conclusion that Jordanian construction will not harm our relations with the Saudis and the other Arab partners - high prices must be demanded from Jordan for every stone moved on the Temple Mount. The cessation of incitement against Israel’s control of Jerusalem, and the publication of relations and partnerships in the fields of security and economy, will send an important message to the entire world. No more exploiting Israel’s many benefits under the table and denigrating it in philandering. It must be examined whether the benefit of the policy does not exceed the damage. In my opinion, the answer is clear - when we demand more, we will get more.
Anyone who claims that the status of Jordan is so important to Israel that the king should be allowed to incite against us should re-examine the claim. Jordan crosses the border and this must be corrected. The overthrow of the king’s rule should not be allowed, but he uses this reasoning unjustifiably and the prices we pay are too high.
Precisely now, when the Europeans and the Americans are getting closer to Israel’s position on Iran, one must not take their foot off the gas. There will be those who claim that it is possible to give up out of strength. I claim that one should not give up out of strength. Giving up will harm power and lead to vulnerability in other, security and strategic areas.
Among the majority of the public there is no interest in the Temple Mount and there is a feeling that no damage will be caused by Jordanian construction on the Mount. Most of the public thinks they won’t feel the difference. This is a mistake, because from the other side it will look different. The symbolism of the mountain in the eyes of Muslims and Palestinians is so great that a small victory of theirs will inspire them to believe in a complete victory until the expulsion of the Jews. They must not be given such hopes. On the contrary, action must be taken to make a decision and for the Palestinians to understand that they have been defeated and have no hope of victory. Only then can we end the conflict. Past experience has taught that there is no other way.
