Galut/Ghetto-mentality.....
or is plain stupid.
Quoting "1.3 billons against us" because of what the Jews do (or don't), is beyond what a person of his stature should be even thinking when drunk!
Never mind say it out loud.
But that's Israel, for you& me :-((

Don't give the Arabs a chance to show how stupidly unreasonable they are. Show the world how stupid and cowardly some Jews can be.

Unfortunately this is not a chess game or even a military exercise in tactics & strategy... which is probably what the good general excels at.

This is a form of asymmetrical warfare, or in this specific case, mob violence fueled by religious fervor.

The general's statement "the important thing is not to give any strife monger an excuse" seems to presume that issues can be managed rationally, simply by controlling the narrative with FACTS, etc.

Unfortunately a mob creates its own narrative, excuses, rumors and half-truths. No one will be stopping to have a coffee table discussion.

Perhaps one short-term, immediate solution is to not allow the mob to coalesce to begin with.

Long term, the goal of the rioters is clear: free their land from Jewish occupation. That narrative will be especially hard to change..

Here is the information that Netanyahu had when he agreed to use the metal detectors at this sensitive site..
In 1996 Netanyahu opened the tunnels under the Western wall.despite the fact that he knew that this would cause unrest. In the riots that followed lasting three days, twenty six Israeli soldiers died.
In 2000 Arik Sharon went up to the Temple Mount. This led to the Second Intifada which continued for years and led to the deaths of more than 1000 Israelis.