This is NOT a reason to halt the work. Arabs will always find an excuse to rampage NO MATTER WHAT (like some cartoons). Just pack up and leave if you are afraid of "provoking" their delicate sensitivities. Arabs getting all bent out of shape over what JEWS DO ON THEIR OWN SITE is like Don Corleone whacking somebody who ate the last cannolli.

Yehuda, the problem with the world today is the Liberals who seem to think that "peace" with "the other" can only come about through us constantly comprimising OUR values and OUR ideals. Hamas will still be calling for our destruction whether these works happen or not. And these works arent the same kind of destruction that the Palestinians inflicted on other non-Muslim holy sites. Stop being such a sissy and stand up for yourself dammit

Where Does this end. Stand up and stop cowering in the corner. Tell Jordan that if this continues, no construction of that new minneret.

This article is the benchmark of capitulation. Let us set a precedent based on fear and timidity and relinquish our national sovereignty and history so we do not upset the murderous "natives". Hey, why not just give it all back and apologize for any misunderstandings? I prey that the national consensus is bolder than this cowardly article. If Israel is to have a future she must purge herself of these weak and disturbing attitudes. What happened to your parents resolve and courage?

After paragraph blaming Sharon for <>> I stop reading. this guy got NO SHAME.

Any logical person knows that they have absolutely no reason to protest. We can't give in. Just to remind your readers, less than a mile from the work going on is the ruins of the Hurva synagogue dynamited by the muslims in 1948.

Israel is the homeland of the Jews. We must take a stand and defend our holy sites from the hateful Arab Muslim racist bigots that infest our holy land. If we have to fight, then we have to fight.

Better dead the dhimmi. The Temple Mount is ours. Get rid of the Muslim squatters.

It all starts with small demands: "let us cover up our women's faces", "don't drink alcohol in outdoor cafes near us", etc. Then it becomes orders: "you are not allowed to laugh at us", "no cartoons", "no crosses in Christian schools and hospitals". This is how, bit by bit, the Europe in which I live has been slowly but surely committing national and cultural SUICIDE. Now, in Israel, the most corrupt, anti-Torah leadership in our history is allowing a FOREIGN country (Jordan) to build a new addition to the Moslem shrine there while DENYING Jews the right to build a small shul there. Still, this is not enough to satisfy the Islamonazis. They will never be content until they can dictate to the entire world of dhimmis (submissive "infidel" subjects). This current tempest in a teapot is just their infantile attempt to distract the world and their own people from their internal thuggish behavior and the complete failure of their own corrupt leadership. They are also terrified of the further archeological proofs of 3,000 years of Jewish prayers and exixstence on the Temple Mount, contrary to the lies their shove down their children's throats. Giving in to these asinine complaints (the work is nowhere NEAR their holy sites) would be a grievous error, a sign of weakness and submission to Islamonazi control. B"H, Israel so far has not fallen into the self-destructive, self-hating behavior of Europe. Pray that she continues to hold strong in the face of this global insanity.

The Arabs keep seeking opportunities to diminish further Israeli sovereignty and Israel itself, all the better in their push of Israel into the sea. As the good writer notes, the works in question are "probably justified," but then he goes on to urge yet another capitulation. I suspect that only the ignorant among the Arabs truly believe that Israel has any interest in undermining the ever expanding Islamic presence on and within the Temple mount. The Moslem world, whipped up by shady imans, corrupt politicians, Arab satellite stations, and defeatist Jews, needs no excuse to be stirred up against us.

Litani is everything that is wrong with the left.. he is a ghetto jew "shut up and stop provoking the goyim" Litani's issue is that he does not care for the temple mount, its a problem with secular leftists. Litani, if its your land then act like a man and do what you want! everyone hates cowards! If its nort your land.. shut up and leave without telling us what to do!

Rather than stop the dig the State of Israel should do more to protect the Temple Mount. For too long Israel has allowed the Muslim authorities to destroy Christian and Jewish artifacts on the Temple Mount, because Israel was afraid that stopping the Muslim authorities would cause tension. So tons of Jewish history have been carted away. Israel must reestablish its control over the Temple Mount. Sign the petition at www.onejerusalem.org to stop the Muslim destruction of the Temple Mount.

somewhere in the bible israel is called my land and the temple my house --- my advice to the arabs is leave my house and land alone --- and to israel one advises to consider yeshua < jesus> of 2000 years ago --------- shalom to the great people of israel ========= augustine e johnson - usa

It is NONE of the business of Islamist-Jihadists to be meddling in Israel's internal affairs.

If they want a fight for something stupid like this, let them. There's a limit to how much bullshit we can tolerate - we have a right to be here, their claims are manufactured of whole cloth to conceal their own insecurities and have nothing to do with us. In short, bring it on.

Don't you know by now that this is just another excuse for the arabs to riot? Are there any other people left like you who are still so blind and think the antifada was started because of Sharon? Have you not heard arab leaders who admitted that "Sharon" was just an excuse and the antifada was planned long before? (not to mention the proof of this). Aside from the stench of your ignorance and self loathing, you endanger us all by giving credence to the arabs claims. Mr. Litani, you truly are the worst of us, a country full of you and we would not last a week!

by all means, let's surrender! Gee - they might be violent so we better surrender our whole country. Idiot!

Despite Olmert`s speech, Israel remains country of occupiers AS THE ECONOMIC SITUATION IN THE TERRITORIES DETERIORATES, THE PALESTINIANS WILL FIND A WAY TO CROSS THE GREEN LINE WITH FORGED DOCUMENTS, OR THEY WILL BRING THE WORK HOME TO THE VEHICLE "CHOP SHOPS." IN ANY CASE, SEPARATION DOES NOT STAND A CHANCE. Continued occupation will isolate us like apartheid-era South Africa ''The difference is that now it lasts longer, more people are involved, and they are not afraid to confront the army. It's like a fire, it catches and spreads. They're in despair I'm talking about the youth, they have nothing to lose.'' - Yehuda Litani, on violence in occupied Arab lands.

This whole thing is just an attempt by the Arabs to distract naive Jews and the world as they pillage and rape the Temple Mount in their attempt to remove anything Jewish. The hill is dangerous and a bridge needs to be built. Or we could just close an entrance to the Arabs for Jewish use? Then they'd really cry like babies.

you say " We don't have to demonstrate our sovereignty over every inch of united Jerusalem in every case." You might be right, but not when it comes to the Temple Mount. It is bad enough that the Arabs have acting control over the Mount and we Jews have to be debased and humiliated any time we want to go to visit the Mount with body searches for religious material and not being allowed to pray on the Mount. Now you say we should not even demonstrate the slight amount of control we do have? If we let them hold the Mount hostage in this ridiculous baseless fashion and give in to their threats of violence, what would you say we should demonstrate our sovereignity over? only when they come looking for Lod and Ramle? Tel Aviv? When will it be ok to demonstrate our sovereignity? Even Judge Cheshin said yesterday that, "This is my house and I will cut off the hand of anybody who threatens it." Rafi http://lifeinisrael.blogspot.com

Let 'em do what they do best! And serve pop-corn. As they say in New York, "Dig we must."

I DOUBT WHETHER MR LITANI WAS SO VOCAL SUGGESTING THAT WAQF AUTHORITIES CEASED THEIR ACTIVITIES ON THE TEMPLE MOUNT, DURING THEIR ILEGAL DESTRUCTION OF SOLOMON'S STABLE AND THE TUNNELS LEADING FROM THE HULDA GATES TO THE TEMPLE MOUNT IN OREDER TO CREATE YET ANOTHER MOSQUE ON THE MOUNT. THE DESTRUCTION OF THIS AREA BY THE WAQF WAS DELIBERATE IN ORDER TO DESTROY JEWISH ARTIFACTS GOING BACK TO THE FIRST TEMPLE PERIOD AND THERBY DENY ITS SACTITY TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE. LITANI DOES US A DISSERVICE BY RECOMMENDING WE GIVE IN TO ISLAM. NO DOUBT HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE SILENT MAJORITY OF ISRAELIS, WHO LIKE THE GOVERMENTS, KEEPT SILENT ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION AND DESICRATION OF HAR HABAYIT, KEVER YOUSEF, KEVEN SHMUEL AS IF ITS ACCEPTABLE FOR THE MUSLIMS TO SPIT IN THE EYES OF JEWS WITH IMPUNITY. LETS NOT HAVE SUCH HYOPOCRACY - INSTEAD WE SHOULD HAVE PRIDE AND DIGNITY - OTHERWISE THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD WILL GREET OUR DESTRUCTION WITH GREAT RELIEF. PERHAPS HE COULD TELL THE JORDANIAN KING THAT HE SHOULD NO BUILD A FIFTH MINERET ON THE TEMPLE MOUNT AS PLANNED INSTEAD OF TELLING US ISRAELI JEWS TO DESIST FROM EXCAVATING OUR HISTORY. AFTER ALL ONE MINERET IS SUFFICIENT AND FOUR HAVE BEEN OK FOR 500 YEARS!

For the Muslims we Jews have no rights on the Temple Mount! And they lie to 'prove' it! We Jews, on the other hand, would not be against sharing. Matter of fact, the Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple) was open to people of all faiths who wanted to come to pray to HaShem!

I made aliya 25 years ago because I thought this was the place to bring up my children. A land that was for the Jews, whether religious or secular. But sadly, I am fast beginning to feel that we are the minority here, that the Arabs are running the show. They are getting stronger and we are giving the impression of weakness. Where is the leadership of this wonderful country. This government is a sham. We have fought too long and too hard to now be looked upon as cowards who are willing to give up everything for a so-called peace (which we all know is just an illusion). Surely, there is someone out there who is strong, honest and who loves Israel and has its best interest at heart above all else.

Tell mr. litani, if he's so worried about the poor harrassed arabs, rents are cheaper in Gaza, hint,hint.

I understand that we don't want to divert Palestinians from attacking each other but we cannot allow Muslims or Pals to dictate to us what we can or cannot do. It's the proverbial wedge or foot in the door. I for one don't care two hoots if we upset the Muslim world. We lost deterrence during the Lebanon debacle (not a war because the IDF was kept on a leash) and we should once again show our strength and capability - not weakness. I have nothing against Arabs or Palestinians but naturally have a lot against Muslims .. Mike