Jews visiting Har Bayis on Sunday morning 25 Tishrei was somewhat shocked to see hate graffiti showing a Magen David with and equals sign next to a swastika. The graffiti was painted on steps heading to the holy site.

Har Habayis activists are calling the graffiti “A price tag attack”, emphasizing police must do more to keep the holy site open and safe to non-Muslim visitors. They point out of late, Har Habayis Arab violence against Jews has risen sharply and police are not doing enough to maintain law and order and ensure the safety of visitors.

Har Habayis was closed to Jews on some days of Sukkos in response to increasing violence. Attacks included rocks, firebombs and other potentially harmful objects. Deputy Knesset Speaker MK Moshe Feiglin stated “ISIS and Hamas have taken over control of Har Bayis”, calling on Israeli agencies to take the necessary actions to restore order.

Rabbi Chaim Richman, International Director of the Temple Institute stated “The Temple Institute condemns the abhorrent graffiti found on the Temple Mount this morning. The fact that this could occur at the holiest site in the world for the Jewish people — the location of the Holy Temple — in the very heart of Jerusalem, should serve as a wake-up call to rouse Prime Minister Netanyahu from his slumber of ‘status quo’ on the Temple Mount. This despicable act is yet another indication of the lack of Israeli sovereignty on the Mount. Jews seeking to visit and pray at their holiest site, should be able to do so without fear of intimidation or violence. We call upon the government of Israel to immediately put an end to Hamas rule on the Temple Mount and permit non-Muslims to worship freely at the site”.

In another Har Habayis matter, the US Department of State includes Jerusalem Old City and Har Habayis in a travel alert instructing citizens to be wary when visiting those troublesome areas.

YWN notes that this view is not accepted by poskei hador, who remain opposed to Jews visiting Har Habayis. This is and remains the view of poskei hador. This is also the view of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. Among the rabbonim who share this view are HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita, HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Halevy Wosner Shlita, HaGaon HaRav Gershon Edelstein Shlita, Maran HaGaon HaRav Aaron Yehuda Leib Shteinman Shlita, Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef ZT”L, Maran Hagon HaRav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv ZT”l and many others.

Recently, HaRav Yitzchak Yosef, the Chief Rabbi of Israel said in a speech about this: “One of the rabbis even dared to argue. I told him ‘with all due respect how can you disagree with Rav Elyashiv, with Maran my father, the Steipler, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach and the Gedolei Hador? We are talking about kores!”

Six years ago on Sukkos, former Israeli President Shimon Peres paid a visit to the Sukka of Maran HaGaon Rav Elyashiv ZATZAL, where Rav Elyashiv called on the President to prevent Jews from visiting Har Habayis, stating it is an act that that is viewed as extremely provocative by the goyim. Maran stated everything possible must be done to avoid a religious war, and the provocateurs are playing with fire.

Maran is quoted as explaining to the president that Halacha forbids going onto Har Habayis but today, it is more than this, it is an act that may lead to a religious war and bloodshed.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photo: Tom Nissini)