Tisha B'Av 5762 - 18th July 2002

In front of the Temple Mount the Faithful Movement called on the Israeli Government to allow the Faithful Movement to lay the two cornerstones on the Temple Mount on both eastern corners of the historical location of the Temple and to start the rebuilding of the Temple to fulfil the dream of 1,932 years since the destruction. These cornerstones, of 6 1/2 tons each, are of the same marble as those of the Second Temple and were again anointed on the morning of Tisha B'Av.

In front of the Eastern Gate, Temple Mount Faithful leader Gershon Salomon also called on the Israeli nation to immediately stop the prayers, mourning, and weeping in front of the Wailing (Western) Wall and to go up onto the Temple Mount to start praying and worshiping in the most holy godly place, with joy and thanksgiving to the G-d of Israel for giving the Temple Mount back to the Jewish People in godly miracles in 1967. We are living at a time of redemption. The G-d of Israel expects Israel to rebuild His house and to open the godly end-time era in the life of Israel and all mankind. As long as the enemy of the G-d of Israel exists on the Temple Mount and continues the foreign pagan worship and prevents the rebuilding of the Temple, the hill of G-d will continue to be like a volcano which will send tremors throughout the land of Israel, the Middle East, and all the earth. Peace will not prevail until they are removed. God also stated that Ariel Sharon should understand that a Jewish state cannot exist without the Temple Mount and a rebuilt Temple. To those who say that it is still not the time for the rebuilding of the Temple, He brought the Word of G-d through the prophet Haggai:

"Is it time for you, yourselves, to dwell in your well timbered houses, while this house lies in ruins? And therefore thus says the L-rd of hosts; 'Consider your ways. You have sown much, and bring in little; you eat, but you have not enough; you drink, but you are not filled with drink; you dress yourself, but there is no warm; and he who earns wages earns wages to put it into a bag with holes.' Thus says the L-rd of hosts; 'Consider your ways. Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified,' says the L-rd. 'You looked for much, and, behold, it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?' says the L-rd of hosts. 'Because of My house that lies in ruins, and everyone of you runs to his own house. Therefore the heaven above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the grain, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground brings forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labor of the hands.'" (Haggai 1:4-11)

The Faithful mourning and demonstrating on Tisah B'Av in front of the Western gate of the Temple Mount. Yoel Adler of the leadership of the Movement is addressing the onlookers. Others members of the leadership in the picture are Ze'ev bar Tov, Moshe Weisshfish and Esther Crasanti dressed in sackcloth.

Following the Word in Haggai, Gershon stated that only the removal of the Arab enemy of the G-d and people of Israel from the Temple Mount and all the land of Israel and the rebuilding of the Temple will stop the terror, hatred and wars against Israel and will bring appreciation, recognition, and the respect of all the world to the people of Israel. It will start a time of real godly peace in Israel and all over the world. Only this key end-time event will complete the redemption of Israel and solve the economic and water crises in the land of Israel exactly as G-d spoke through Haggai.

He called on the Israeli Government to trust G-d and not to fear the many enemies of Israel and to do what G-d expects of them at this critical time. They should not make the same sinful mistake of the ten spies who wanted Israel to return to the slavery of Egypt and not to go into the Promised Land. They should behave as Joshua and Caleb who said that the nation should not fear the giant enemies because G-d will be with us and will give us the land. He called on the Israeli leadership and people to be Joshuas and Calebs, which is so needed now more that at any time in the past. Israel is now being tested on the Temple Mount by the G-d of Israel. What Israel does on the Temple Mount will affect not only the destiny of the people and land of Israel but also the destiny of all the world.

Gershon also called on all the world and the nations to stop pressuring Israel to give up the Temple Mount, Jerusalem, and the holy parts of the land to the enemies of Israel. Their own destiny is connected to the rebuilding of the Temple which can be done only by Israel. Their evil and anti-godly, anti-Israeli behaviour has created a negative and evil international community based on materialistic values which has placed in their midst, not their Creator G-d, but the golden idol. The rebuilding of the Temple according to the call and commandment of G-d to our generation is irreversible. The continuation of the existence of the Arab enemies of the G-d and people of Israel on the Temple Mount has brought down the anger of G-d and has created the evil terrorist situation in Israel and all over the world. He advised them to listen to and behave according to the Word of G-d in Haggai.

"For thus says the L-rd of hosts; Yet again in a little while, I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come; and I will fill this house with glory, says the L-rd of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the L-rd of hosts. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former, says the L-rd of hosts; and in this place I will give peace, says the L-rd of hosts." (Haggai 2:6-9)

He also stated that the delay in the laying of the cornerstones on the Temple Mount and the starting of the rebuilding of the Temple can no longer be tolerated. The godly redemption of Israel, the Temple Mount, Jerusalem, the people and the land of Israel, and then of all the world, is not only irreversible but can no longer be postponed. Everything in this event is dependant on the liberation and purification of the Temple Mount and all the land of Israel and the rebuilding of the Temple as the key event. This event will open the gate to the coming of Mashiach ben David and the establishment of G-d's kingdom all over the world.

On Tisha B'Av, The Faithful Movement and many other Israelis who joined them, mourned before the closed Western Gate of the Temple Mount not only because of the destruction but also because of the sad situation on the Temple Mount and the desecration of the most holy hill of G-d. Siting on the ground, clothed in sackcloth and ashes, and chains which represented the situation, they read from the Book of Lamentations. They also held the godly flags of Israel and the flags of the Temple in their hands.

The presence of G-d was strongly felt by everyone in front of the Western Gate in these moments. When Psalm 79 was prayed, the feeling of everyone was that this prayer would be answered by the G-d of Israel on the Temple Mount, Jerusalem, and all over the holy land which G-d gave to Israel more than 4,000 years ago to fulfil His eternal vision:

"A Psalm of Asaph. O G-d, nations have come into your inheritance; your holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps. The dead bodies of your servants have they given to be food to the birds of the sky, the flesh of your pious ones to the beasts of the earth. Their blood have they shed like water around Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them. We have become a taunt to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to those who are around us. How long, L-rd? Will you be angry for ever? Shall your jealousy burn like fire? Pour out your wrath on the nations that have not known you, and on the kingdoms that have not called upon your name. For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place. O do not remember against us our former iniquities; let your tender mercies speedily come to meet us; for we are brought very low. Help us, O G-d of our salvation, for the glory of your name; and save us, and forgive our sins, for your name's sake. Why should the nations say, Where is their G-d? Let the revenging of the blood of your servants which is shed be made manifest among the nations, and before our eyes. Let the groans of the prisoner come before you; according to the greatness of your power preserve those who are appointed to die; And render to our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their insult, with which they have insulted you, O L-rd. So we your people and sheep of your pasture will give you thanks for ever; we will tell your praise to all generations." (Psalm 79)

After the unique godly event ended with the singing of "Ha Tikavah" when the faces of everyone were directed to the place of the Holy of Holies, Gershon stated The Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement will never give up and that the campaign for the rebuilding of the Temple will continue even more intensively. Preparations for the laying of the cornerstones on the Temple Mount during the coming Feast of Sukkoth, which will take place September 21 - 28th, will start immediately.