Temple Mount dispute: why the demand centres on the Al-Aqsa site
Jewish tradition holds the ancient temples stood at the Temple Mount, now also home to Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock.
The Temple Mount in Jerusalem, also called Haram al-Sharif, is regarded as one of the most sensitive religious sites in the world. According to Jewish tradition, the ancient Jewish temples stood in this very area. But the Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE. Since then, the idea has persisted among some religious Jewish groups that a temple should be rebuilt there in future. This demand is referred to as the Third Temple.
According to Jewish religious belief, the First Temple is linked to the era of King Solomon. After that temple was destroyed, a Second Temple was built, which the Roman Empire tore down in 70 CE. This is why the Temple Mount is considered an extremely sacred site in Judaism.
But today, important sacred structures of Islam also stand on the same site. Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock are located within this same complex. This is why talk of rebuilding the temple is directly tied to religious and political sensitivity.
Some religious-nationalist Jewish groups consider rebuilding the ancient temple to be their religious goal. They say the temple should be reconstructed at the exact sacred spot where the ancient Jewish temple stood. Some hardline activists have even floated the idea of removing the existing Islamic structures to build the temple there.
But this does not mean every Zionist or every Israeli supports this view. Within Zionism itself there are religious, secular and political strands of thought. The demand for a Third Temple is mainly associated with a few select religious-nationalist groups.
Al-Aqsa Mosque is an extremely sacred site for Muslims. This is why any idea of changing the existing arrangement there or removing the Islamic structures could trigger major religious and political conflict.
This is why the long-standing status quo at the Temple Mount is considered extremely delicate. Any change linked to the religious rights, prayers, entry and control of the site for both Jewish and Muslim communities could heighten tensions. This is why the Third Temple is no longer just a religious issue but has become a major and complicated conflict tied to Jerusalem's future.
