- Israeli security officials have recently become increasingly
concerned that right-wing extremists might be plotting an attack on the
Temple Mount in Jerusalem to derail Israel's planned withdrawal from the
Gaza Strip. The Shin Bet security service and the police are preparing
for a number of possible terror attack scenarios at the sacred Old City
site, Israeli security sources said on Saturday night.
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- Speaking on the Channel Two "Meet the Press"
program yesterday, Public Security Minister Tzachi Hanegbi confirmed that
the security establishment had identified rising intent among right-wing
extremists to carry out a Temple Mount attack.
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- "There is no information about specific individuals,
because the Shin Bet and police would not let them continue [with their
plot]," said Hanegbi. "But there are troubling indications of
purposeful thinking, and not detached philosophy... There is a danger that
[extremists] would make use of the most explosive site, in the hope that
a chain reaction would bring about the destruction of the peace process."
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- Security sources on Saturday night said possible actions
included an attempt to crash a drone packed with explosives on the Temple
Mount, or a manned suicide attack with a light aircraft during mass Muslim
worship on the Mount. Other possibilities include an attempt by right-wing
extremists to assassinate a prominent Temple Mount Muslim leader, perhaps
from the Waqf Islamic trust.
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- Israeli security sources speculate that the assassination
scenario might be chosen, even though it would not cause mass injury or
damage to the Al-Aqsa mosque or the Golden Dome shrine. The aim of the
Temple Mount attack conspiracy, they said, would be to carry out a visible
provocation that sparked violent confrontation in the territories.
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- Due to stringent security routines at the Temple Mount,
Israeli security officials said Saturday, right-wing extremists would find
it virtually impossible to use conventional routes to penetrate the site
with explosives. Hence, the possibility of a large bomb being planted at
one of the Muslim holy sites is "a lower-level possibility."
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- Saturday's disclosures about possible Temple Mount terror
plans were preceded in recent months by a number of troubling indications.
Nine months ago a suspect in a Jewish underground terror group affair,
Shahar Dvir-Zeliger, told authorities a prominent West Bank settler activist
had planned a Temple Mount attack. Zeliger cited two other names of West
Bank settlers, suggesting the two were involved in the Temple Mount attack
conspiracy.
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- Last Thursday, the Temple Mount Faithful group petitioned
the High Court, asking to be given clearance to go up to the Holy Site
for prayers later this week for Tisha B'Av.
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- http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/455441.html
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