Discussion · House of Representatives
Lois Frankel Democrat
“I want my colleagues to vote against this amendment. The Temple Mount is holy to both Jews and Muslims, and small changes there can cause violence. Adding this issue to a spending bill risks causing more conflict instead of solving problems through diplomacy.”
“Madam Chair, while this amendment may be well-intentioned, it risks inflaming tensions at one of the most sensitive religious sites in the world. The Temple Mount is sacred to both Jews and Muslims. It is at the center of competing historical, political, and religious claims. History has shown that even small changes to access or worship arrangements can spark violence far beyond Jerusalem. For decades, Israel, Jordan, and the international community have worked to preserve the longstanding status quo, not because it is perfect but because it helps prevent broader conflict while difficult issues remain unsolved. The appropriations bill is not the place to insert the United States into one of the world’s most delicate religious disputes. Religious freedom is a fundamental American value, but lasting progress at the Temple Mount will come through careful diplomacy and respectful, longstanding efforts that preserve peace and stability, not through an appropriation amendment with 10 minutes of debate. Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to reject this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.”
Madam Chair, while this amendment may be well-intentioned, it risks inflaming tensions at one of the most sensitive religious sites in the world. The Temple Mount is sacred to both Jews and Muslims. It is at the center of competing historical, political, and religious claims. History has shown that even small changes to access or worship arrangements can spark violence far beyond Jerusalem. For decades, Israel, Jordan, and the international community have worked to preserve the longstanding status quo, not because it is perfect but because it helps prevent broader conflict while difficult issues remain unsolved. The appropriations bill is not the place to insert the United States into one of the world’s most delicate religious disputes. Religious freedom is a fundamental American value, but lasting progress at the Temple Mount will come through careful diplomacy and respectful, longstanding efforts that preserve peace and stability, not through an appropriation amendment with 10 minutes of debate. Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to reject this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.