The Bidinu for the Temple Mount movement filed a petition with the High Court of Justice against the Israeli government, the police and the Jerusalem municipality, demanding that the Jordanian Waqf be prevented from spilling garbage inside the Temple Mount area.
Last August, Israel Hayom published documentation of garbage trucks dumping waste on the Temple Mount. The footage showed several vehicles dumping garbage at the Jewish holy site without enforcement. This documentation was condemned by the Israel Antiquities Authority.
Documentation: Jordanian Waqf garbage truck dumping garbage inside the Temple Mount // Photo: Bidinu for the Temple Mount
Since this publication, the movement has contacted the relevant authorities several times in order to curb the phenomenon, but to no avail. The petition states that this is not the only time this occurred, but when the organization contacted the Jerusalem Police, it said that "garbage removal from the Temple Mount was done as is customary," and claimed that this was an irrelevant request and that the phenomenon did not require examination or intervention.
"Acute injury"
"Garbage removal," complains attorney Menashe Yado, who filed the petition, is being carried out to "a garbage collection and disposal point located within the area of Ezrat Yisrael, which is sacred to the people of Israel," which, according to the petitioners, is "a severe blow to religious sanctities and religious sentiments and close to the face of the Holy of Holies.
Garbage Garbage Dirt Temple Mount Waste (Archive), Photo: Tzachi Dvira
"It is hard to imagine what would have happened if, God forbid, garbage had been removed to a point on the Temple Mount sacred to Muslims, the entire system would have been stomped on," the petition states. "And here, when garbage is removed near the Holy of Holies, it is an 'acceptable' thing."
According to the petitioners, the garbage removal is also carried out by the Jordanian Waqf in violation of Basic Law: Jerusalem, and demand that the state explain why the Jerusalem Municipality is not the one carrying out the garbage removal outside the Mount area.
Garbage inside the Temple Mount compound (archive), photo: Israel Police
"Show respect"
"Just like the Vatican won't allow garbage to be thrown in front of the Pope's residence, let alone on the Temple Mount," says Tom Nissani, executive director of Bidinu. "As long as the State of Israel does not show respect for its holy places, no one else will respect its connection to them.
"Anyone who thinks that garbage dumping happens to take place in the Holy of Holies is deluding himself. This is a deliberate attempt to degrade and humiliate. Preserving the sanctity of the place is in the national interest. The Jerusalem Police, the Jerusalem Municipality and the State of Israel cannot remove responsibility for the Waqf's crimes on the Mount."
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