TEMPLE MOUNT WATCH: As noted previously, the newly established "monarchist" Sanhedrin has recently been showing an interest in the Temple Mount. In tongue-in-cheek response to my post, Dr. Andrew Jackson comments: "Hal Lindsey must be thrilled."

Well, he is. Now I'm not impressed by Hal Lindsey's biblical exegesis or his track record at predicting the future. But give him this: at least his third-temple scenario doesn't involve tearing down the mosques on the Temple Mount. Could be worse.

As I've said before, the Temple Mount is a terribly important archaeological site that is a crucial part of humanity's cultural heritage. I don't have a theological agenda for it, but I sure do have a historical and archaeological one. The damage the WAQF has already done to it is bad enough. There should be no more construction there of any kind. The only alteration to the site, if any at all, should be scientifically controlled archaeological excavation. Otherwise, leave the place as it is until we have the technology to do sophisticated non-intrusive and/or nondestructive scans to get at what's there.