BARAK PRESERVES MOSLEM STATUS QUO (Aruz 7 29-6-00)
The mystery surrounding a Temple Mount-related meeting in the Prime Minister Barak's office yesterday has been cracked. In a cryptic statement at the close of the meeting, Barak's office declared:

"The Prime Minister has approved the Israel Police and GSS recommendations on what measures are to be taken or avoided regarding the Temple Mount, in line with the principles of maintaining the status-quo and not damaging archaeological artifacts, while recognizing the importance of the site for both Jews and Moslems."

Writing in today's edition of Ha'aretz, journalist Nadav Shragai reports that Barak rejected the advice of both Atty.-Gen. Elyakim Rubenstein and the Antiquities Authority to halt or limit the recently begun Waqf tiling of 200 square meters of the Temple Mount. Barak also decided to forbid actions that would prevent the entry of heavy machinery, trucks and tractors to the Mount. According to Shragai, "he directed the relevant officials to maintain 'reasonable supervision' of the traffic entering and leaving the compound through the Lions' Gate." Barak did, however, instruct that Antiquities Authority archaeologists be allowed into the area to prevent the tiling work from developing "into more extensive construction activity."

Israel television reporter Benny Liss indicated today that a level of coordination exists between the Waqf and Israeli law enforcement authorities regarding the illegal construction. Speaking with Arutz-7, Liss said that three days ago, he hired a helicopter to fly over the Mount in an effort to capture an aerial view of what was actually taking place there. Liss:

"Shortly before the flight, I got a call from the helicopter company saying that the Waqf had learned of the flight, called the police; the police in turn called the air traffic tower in Atarot, which then informed the pilot that he had no permission to fly over the Mount. The Waqf has an interest in ensuring that photos of the area do not reach the public."