A number of IDF soldiers in uniform on Sunday morning 17 Menachem Av arrived at Har Habayis, which they wanted to visit before heading to their base for the week. Police stopped them before entering and summoned military police, which questioned the soldiers for no apparent reason.

The soldiers were released but not before they were instructed not to return to Har Habayis.

The Students for Har Habayis organization responded with a message stating, “Several decades ago IDF soldiers liberated Har Habayis and the Kosel from Jordanian occupation. It appears that as time passes, the State of Israel does its utmost to hand over sovereignty over Har Habayis to others. This reached its pinnacle when IDF soldiers in uniform were banned from visiting Har Habayis, a prohibition that lacks precedent and logic. We call on the IDF and the Public Security Ministry to act to permit soldiers in uniform to visit Har Habayis”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)