The Temple Institute, known in Hebrew as Machon HaMikdash, was founded in 1987 by Rabbi Yisrael Ariel, a veteran of the paratroopers brigade that seized the Al Aqsa esplanade during the 1967 war.

Its stated goal, unchanged in four decades, is to prepare for the construction of the Third Temple at the location currently occupied by the Dome of the Rock.

This is published on their own website.

By 1999 the Institute completed a solid gold menorah weighing half a ton, including 45 kilograms of 24-karat gold.

The Temple Institute's own video describes it as "ready to be kindled in the rebuilt Holy Temple."

In 2004 the Sanhedrin was reconstituted after 1,600 years of absence, ruling on Temple construction and priestly lineages.

Priests have been trained and ritually prepared for Temple service.

The Institute's own website states: "Israel is clearly moving towards the time when the Holy Temple on Mount Moriah, the prophesied Third Temple, will be rebuilt."

And: "The fate of the entire world depends on the red heifer."

Their words. Their publications. Not reported claims.

Under Hebrew law as interpreted by the Temple Institute, the ashes of a red heifer must purify the Temple site and its priests before the Temple can function.

Numbers 19 in the Torah prescribes the ritual.

The heifer must be entirely red, without blemish, never yoked.

No such ritual had been performed in nearly 2,000 years.

In September 2022, five red heifers were flown from Texas to Israel at a cost of $700,000.

The operation involved the Temple Institute and Boneh Israel, an Evangelical Christian organisation whose stated aim is to bring the Temple prophecy to fruition.

According to the Israeli NGO Ir Amim, the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture helped the groups bypass standard import regulations to bring the live cattle into Israel, which is ordinarily prohibited.

In a video published January 2024, Boneh Israel's Michael Samuel Smith stated: "This is the first time in nearly 2,000 years a successful red heifer has come about."

He stated the sacrifice was planned for the Passover to Pentecost window of spring 2024.

The Temple Institute has since stated that the absence of red heifer ashes does not prevent Temple construction from beginning.

Solomon peace be upon him prayed that his kingdom belong to no one after him.

He was tested and he turned to God in humility.

The Quran honours him for this.

He built upon this ground as a servant of God.

The Temple Institute was founded by a soldier who seized this same ground in 1967.

What is being prepared on this ground today is not a prayer of humility before God.

The two things are not the same.

Al Jazeera documented in April 2024 that the Temple movement "flies in the face of Jewish scholarship, which rules that a Third Temple can only be constructed after the coming of the awaited Messiah to usher in the Kingdom of God, not to bring about the return of the Messiah to Earth."

Temple Mount groups are also pushing to perform Jewish rites at Al Aqsa "in violation of the chief rabbinate's longstanding prohibition."

Ultra-Orthodox members of Netanyahu's own coalition have come out against Jewish ascension to Al Aqsa.

Most religious Jews do not enter the compound at all because ancient Jewish law requires the red heifer ashes to purify anyone who does.

The Temple movement is a minority within Israeli religious politics acting against the explicit rulings of the chief rabbinate.

This distinction is documented and matters.

The plan here is not the plan of Judaism.

It is the plan of specific named organisations supported by specific named government ministers.

The UNSILENCED standard is primary sources. These are primary sources.

The Temple Institute publishes its goals.

The menorah is built.

The Sanhedrin reconstituted.

The heifers flown from Texas with Ministry of Agriculture assistance.

The chief rabbinate has opposed this for decades.

Tomorrow we show you who in government is moving it forward and what the three-stage plan says in Israel's own newspaper.