MK Moshe Gafne rejects the position of those who view visiting Har Habayis as a mitzvah, adding at times, the actions of those visiting the holy site has led to harm to the lives of Jews.

Gafne gave an interview to NRG News, in which he declined to label himself left-wing or right-wing. “I am not left or right-wing but I wish to advance the diplomatic process and not to permit the continuation of the current situation, the status quo of the sword and to continue fighting to survive. We must maintain a cautious process. Do not hand over parts of Eretz Yisrael without calculating but the process must take place”.

Gafne feels the largest damage caused by the right-wing is visiting Har Habayis, damage which he views as “halachic and diplomatic that at times results in harm to Jewish lives”.

“It’s a terrible thing” Gafne explains as he continues to attack those who visit Har Habayis. “There it is the Kodesh Kedoshim and we see that religious people have made this into a mitzvah. It boils our blood. This is in addition to the immediate damage. Degel Hatorah and the mainstream of chareidi Jewry is politically moderate ant opposes provoking other nations. We live in a small global village. There are those that are strong and those less so and have to assist the other. We must behave normally. People are megalomaniacal”.

It must be noted: According to the Poskei Hador one is absolutely forbidden to visit Har Habayis, and there is an Isur Karess for one that goes there.

A number of years ago on Sukkos, President Shimon Peres paid a visit to the Sukkah 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.

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 ZATZAL, HaGaon HaRav Gershon Edelstein Shlita, Maran HaGaon HaRav Aaron Yehuda Leib Shteinman Shlita, Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef ZT”L, Maran HaGaon HaRav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv ZT”L and many others.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)