Violence in Israel—Is this the End?

Why did the al-Aqsa mosque incidents spark the explosion of violence? What connection is there to the prophesied building of the third temple on the Temple Mount? Why are the current developments in Jerusalem and Israel not yet THE war which would annihilate mankind, unless Christ was to return to shorten these days? Who are the elect for whom Christ will return, and why are the Jews and nominal Christians not those elect?