Unleashing the Beast

T EMPLE M OUNT , THE W ORLD ' S H OT S POT / 133

in Jerusalem, and that this tradition developed after the death of Mohammed. The Koran mentions Mecca hundreds of times, but it never mentions Jerusalem. Still, most Muslims believe the story. T HE S ECRET OF THE D OME OF THE R OCK In a recent controversial book titled Secrets of the Dome of the Rock , author Yacob Ofir researched evidence in which he alleges that the Dome of the Rock was originally used as a house of prayer for the Jewish people. Others have pointed out that the Dome of the Rock is an eight sided mosque; therefore, the shape is not in the tradition of an Islamic mosque. Even the entrance to the mosque is on the western side. Nonetheless, after both mosques were built; the Temple Mount was eternally marked for Islam. According to Islamic teaching, once a mosque is built on a site, it becomes the property of Islam for eternity. In the eyes of millions of loyal Muslims, the presence of Jews and Christians in a city where the third holiest mosque sits borderlines on blasphemy. These attitudes became visible when American troops, pouring into Saudi Arabia to protect the oil fields, were forbidden to wear any cross or visible emblem of Christianity. They were initially forbidden to bring Bibles into the region. Stiff opposition from Americans, including the outspoken Senator Jesse Helms, brought about a reluctant change of decision by the Saudis. Other nations, such as Iran and Iraq, demanded that the infidel American and foreign troops be expelled from