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Har Habayis activists laud the fact that a record-breaking number of Jews visited the holy site during Pesach. According to the official numbers, 1,015 Jews visited Har Habayis during Chol Hamoed Pesach, about 200 a day which is about three times the norm during the year.

The activists report that among the approximately 1,000 visitors, 371 were not permitted to make the entire circle – permitted to enter for a brief five-minute glimpse and then ordered to leave by police. Over sixty Jews were not permitted to enter Har Habayis, some having waited hours before being told they may not enter. Forty-three Jews were detained or arrested, most for allegedly davening on the site, six of them were detained for two hours or more. The others were simply removed from the holy site.

An additional breakdown reveals that 158 Jews visited on the first day of chol hamoed and opposed to 265 on Thursday, the eve of the last day of Yomtov.

The accompanying Arab media videos show some of the visits as well as the violence that erupted.

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)