There was much anger, threatening and shouting but one thing was for certain, Israel’s Arab parliamentarians deny any legitimacy regarding Jewish claims to Har Habayis. One observing the body language of Arab parliamentarians attending the Knesset committee session, it is clear they have no intention of compromising in any way pertaining to Har Habayis.

Knesset Interior Committee Chairperson MK (Likud) Miri Regev held a special session to discuss the situation on Har Habayis vis-à-vis Jewish prayer. Miri and others feel the lack of freedom of religion for Jews on Har Habayis is unacceptable. Deputy Minister of Religious Services Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan wants to set hours for tefilla for Jews.

MK (Hadash) Muhammad Barakeh stated that he and other Arab MKs will physically block any attempt to accommodate Jewish davening on Har Habayis. The Arab MKs used the session to capitalize on the situation and used the Arab propaganda line that this is a part of the Zionist plot to overrun al-Aqsa. MK (Ra’am-Ta’al) Dr. Ahmed Tibi reminded committee members the Second Intifada began because Ariel Sharon visited Har Habayis and he made it clear, the area will be ablaze if the matter is taken in the direction Miri and Rabbi Ben-Dahan suggest.

See the video with its English subtitles to get an idea of how heated the session actually was. Dr. Ahmed Tibi, who boasts having been a friend of Yasser Arafat was Arafat’s longtime confidant and aide.

Regarding calls from Har Habayis activists to exercise Jewish sovereignty on the holy site, MK Rabbi Uri Maklev warns against setting policy that contradicts Halacha. Maklev released a statement to the media that poskim over the generations have prohibited visiting Har Habayis and therefore, setting davening times for Jews would be contrary to the decision of poskim.

Maklev addressed the Bayit Yehudi party’s “reform concerning Har Habayis” in contradiction to piskei Halacha over recent decades.

It must be noted that according to the Poskei Hador one is absolutely forbidden to visit the Temple Mount, and there is an Issur Kares for one that goes there.

Four years ago on Sukkos, Israeli President Shimon Peres paid a visit to the Sukkah of Maran Hagon 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)