In potential showdown, Sharon may attempt to reopen disputed Jerusalem holy site to all

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Posted 12:11PM on Monday, January 21, 2002

JERUSALEM - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who provoked Palestinian anger with his visit to Jerusalem's most disputed holy site in September 2000, may reopen the Temple Mount to everyone, an Israeli newspaper reported on Monday. The shrine, sacred to Muslims as well and known to them as the Haram as-Sharif, has been restricted to Muslims only for the past 16 months. Sharon has been telling aides he wants Judaism's holiest site, open again to Jews, Christians and everyone else, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported Monday. A pair of large mosques, including the golden Dome of the Rock, were built atop the ruins of two Biblical Jewish temples more than 1,000 years ago, and it's the third holiest site in Islam. Israel's security establishment has sent a proposal to Sharon recommending the reopening, and he is weighing it, government spokesman Dore Gold said. But the Islamic trust that has day-to-day control of the religious site remains steadfastly opposed to allowing in non-Muslims because of the current Mideast turmoil. "This would be a very dangerous step that would be difficult to control," said Mohammed Hussein, a member of the Islamic trust, the Waqf. "The atmosphere is not appropriate now to allow foreigners again to visit the mosque compound." Tough Israeli security measures imposed during the conflict make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for Palestinians living outside Jerusalem to reach the city. At a time when many Palestinian Muslims can't visit the mosque compound, those of other faiths should not be permitted, Hussein added. The site in the heart of Jerusalem's Old City has stirred religious passions among Jews and Muslims for centuries, and the question of who would have sovereignty over the site was a major sticking point in peace talks that collapsed a year ago. It was open to visitors when Sharon, then Israel's opposition leader, made a highly publicized visit on Sept. 28, 2000. Citing Israel's sovereignty claim, Sharon said at the time that no one could keep him from the the site. A day after Sharon's visit, Muslims clashed with Israeli security forces inside the walled mosque compound, marking the start of the current Palestinian uprising that has left more than 1,100 dead. Israel captured the site in the 1967 Mideast war and has never relinquished its claim of ultimate control, but immediately returned the compound to the Muslims for day-to-day operations.