Ex-defense minister blasts cabinet for failing to coordinate with Jordan

Former defense minister Moshe Ya’alon says Muslim leaders’ protests over the Temple Mount are not about the metal detectors, but about control of the site.

“There’s a blood libel against us that we’re allegedly going to destroy Al-Aqsa. This isn’t a new thing. This is about some elements that want to take over the Temple Mount,” he tells Channel 2.

He points an accusatory finger at Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who he says “is challenging Jordanian control over the Temple Mount.”

And he castigates Israeli decision-makers for failing to consult with the Jordanians before imposing new security arrangements after the July 14 terror attack at the site.

“Because of that sensitivity, you have to understand that if you’re going to put metal detectors, you have to coordinate it with the Jordanians. That wasn’t done,” he says.