Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas frequently refers to the “alleged” Jewish Temple, but if it was not Jewish, there is no basis for Christian belief, as written in the New Testament in Matthew (21:12), that Jewish “moneychangers” chased Jesus from the Holy Temple. However, Christians so far have not reacted to the implicit denial of their belief.

The PA campaign to eradicate Jewish history at the Temple Mount , as well as in the rest of Israel, has escalated sharply in the past two years.

Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) documented and translated statements from Palestinian Authority leaders, including Abbas, his advisor Ahmad Al-Ruweidi, clerics and ministers, all of whom used the term “alleged Temple” 97 times in 2011 and 2012.  

PMW pointed out that the number 97 refers only to the term “alleged Temple” and does not include thousands of other denials of  the existence of the First and Second Temples and Jewish history in the rest of Israel. Many Jewish sites, such as Rachel’s Tomb at the edge of Bethlehem and less than a mile from Jerusalem, has been given an Arab name by the PA, whose clerics claim it was a Muslim site – before Islam was founded.

Last week, Abbas said in the official PA WAFA news agency and in the PA official daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, ”[Israel’s] purpose is to achieve its black goals: Destroying the Al-Aqsa Mosque, building the ‘alleged Temple,’ taking over the Muslim and Christian holy sites, and destroying its [Jerusalem’s] institutions in order to empty it, uproot its residents, and continue its occupation and Judaization.” 

PMW also uncovered Abbas’ statement “that all of Israel’s archeological digs and tunnels… will not change the reality of the city… and will not create a [Jewish] right based on fantasy and legends.”

The statement ended, “There will be no peace, security, or stability unless the occupation [Israel], its settlements and settlers will be evacuated from our holy city and the eternal capital of our state.” 

Abbas has previously declared that “Palestinian” history is 9,000 years old and said last year, on the eve of Israel’s Independence Day, “Netanyahu, you are incidental in history. We are the people of history. We are the owners of history,” PMW stated.