Since 1967, non-Muslims have been allowed to visit Al-Aqsa but not pray at the holy site. Yet that status quo is rapidly eroding in recent years as Israeli Jewish settler groups work alongside the government to take control of the compound. Under Jewish law, the ashes of a red heifer (young female cow) must be scattered across Haram al-Sharif before Jews can ascend it and rebuild the Third Temple. While the hunt for a red heifer has long been considered a fringe initiative touted by Temple Mount activists, new research reveals the Israeli government is now involved in this endeavor. According to Jerusalem-focused non-profit Ir Amim, the Israeli government authorities helped the temple mount activist group, the Temple Institute, and Boneh Israel, an Evangelical organization, import five cows from the United States last year to be used for the red heifer sacrifice. Ir Amim emphasized that while this project is being spearheaded by the current Israeli leadership, government assistance actually began during the previous government under former Israeli Prime Ministers Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett, which was deemed more moderate and politically diverse than Benjamin Netanyahu’s present coalition. Despite the Israeli government’s vow to keep with the status quo at Al-Aqsa, settlers involved in the red heifer project underscore the aim is Jewish ascension on Haram al-Sharif in order to reconstruct the Third Temple. “The prophecies came true, and the Jews are back in Israel,” Byron Stinson, responsible for raising the cattle and bringing them to Tel Aviv, told the Jerusalem Post. “Now they need to build a Temple. But it’s like buying a really nice car. If you don’t have the key, you aren’t going anywhere. The red heifer is the key to making the Temple work like it’s supposed to…(READ MORE)

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