January 3, 2001

Mr. Ehud Barak
Prime Minister
Office of the Prime Minister
Jerusalem

Dear Mr. Prime Minister:

We have enclosed for your review Keshev's memorandum in the matter of the Temple Mount. In summary, the document states the following:

The threats against the Temple Mount have reached a critical stage. More than ten bodies of Temple lovers, comprising tens of thousands of people, are acting to reinstitute Temple practices and rituals. There has been dramatic growth in the number of activists and supporters and increasing ideological and public support for the idea of destroying the mosques.

In the event of damage to the holy sites, all the blame will be placed on Israel and apocalyptically destructive forces may be unleashed. Therefore, regardless of what political settlement may be reached for the Temple Mount, it is in Israel's vital interest to have international figures and bodies share responsibility over the holy sites. This is same is true even if it is impossible to sign a peace agreement at this time. Thus, we believe that the government of Israel should take immediate steps to invite international bodies (the UN or a multi-lateral force) to share responsibility for the security of the holy sites on the Temple Mount.

Simultaneously, the government should make a supreme effort to safeguard the Temple Mount and adjacent areas and gather intelligence about threats to those sites. Israeli security forces must closely monitor the leading Temple Mount activists and those of secondary rank (in our opinion, the immediate likelihood of an attack on the Temple Mount is from the fringe elements, for example an solitary individual from the community of repentant Jews, such as Shuvu Banim yeshiva, who will be willing to sacrifice themselves in the manner of Yigal Amir and Baruch Goldstein.

The authorities must also stop all support and funding of Temple lovers organizations and institutions.

In addition, the government must demand that rabbis in Judea, Samaria, and the Gaza Strip and national-religious and Ultra-Orthodox leaders publicly disassociate themselves from the calls to "destroy the mosques." Our lives depend on it.

Sincerely,

Dr. Yuval Karniel	Yizhar Be'er
Chair, Executive Committee	Executive Director