(JNS) Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir again insisted on Monday that the government’s policy is to allow Jewish prayer atop the Temple Mount, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reiterate in a short statement that “there is no change to the status quo” barring Jews from worshiping at their holiest site.
“The policies on the Temple Mount allow prayer, period,” Ben-Gvir told Army Radio earlier Monday. “The premier knows that when I joined the government, I said in the simplest way that there will be no discrimination at the Temple Mount, just like Muslims can pray at the Western Wall,” he added.
Earlier this month, the minister visited the holy place in Jerusalem, where he said his policy was to allow Jewish prayer at the site.
“We are here on Tisha B’Av, at the Temple Mount, to commemorate the destruction of the Holy Temple. As I said—our policy is to allow prayer,” he said.
He added that he had visited the Temple Mount to pray for “the return of the hostages, the peace of the soldiers and victory in the war.”
Following the remarks, Netanyahu’s office released a statement emphasizing that “it is the government and the prime minister who determine policy on the Temple Mount. There is no private policy of any minister—not the national security minister or any other minister—on the Temple Mount. Thus it has been under all governments of Israel.”
The statement continued: “This morning’s incident on the Temple Mount deviated from the status quo. Israel’s policy on the Temple Mount has not changed; this is how it has been and this is how it will be.”
Police detained 40 Israelis who visited the site after waving Israeli flags, kneeling or prostrating themselves.
“The whole region sees Netanyahu’s weakness against Ben-Gvir,” Opposition Leader Yair Lapid said on Monday. “He can’t control the government even when it comes to a clear attempt to destabilize our national security.”
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant joined the chorus of condemnation, describing ascending the Temple Mount as a “dangerous, unnecessary and irresponsible act,” and accusing Ben-Gvir of “endanger[ing] Israel’s national security and its international standing.
“The action the IDF took yesterday to thwart a Hezbollah attack strengthened Israel, Ben-Gvir’s statements weaken it,” added Gallant.
In June, Ben-Gvir said he intends to allow all Jews to openly pray at Judaism’s holiest site, changing the status quo that has existed there since 1967.
The status quo against Jewish prayer at the Temple Mount was never ratified in legislation. There have been various references to it over the years by all branches of government, but not in a way that grants it an independent legal status.
Since the beginning of the Hebrew year, over 50,000 Jews have visited the Temple Mount, according to data compiled by Beyadenu, an Israeli NGO dedicated to strengthening the Jewish connection to the site.
