Minister Uri Ariel Calls For The Immediate Closure Of Shar HaRachamim To Prevent Another Mosque On Har Habayis [VIDEO]

(VIDEO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE)

Minister of Agriculture (Bayit Yehudi) Uri Ariel visited Har Habayis on Tuesday morning, February 26, 2019, getting a look at the increasing tensions involving the Islamic Waqf Authority and the complex known as ‘Shar HaRachamim’. Ariel told the media that police prevented him from entering the mosque, insisting it is a gross violation of the status quo, calling on the prime minister to close the Shar HaRachamim area immediately.

Readers are reminded there was Islamic violence last week and the Waqf officers entered the Shar HaRachamim complex and work began on yet another mosque. Ariel stated on Tuesday, that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu must not permit the construction of another mosque on Har Habayis.

It is explained that Ariel’s visit on Tuesday was not connected to the events of last week, but a regular scheduled visit, but when he tried entering Shar HaRachamim, he was prohibited from doing so. He was visibly angered as he insists this violates the state quo and he demands immediate intervention by the prime minister.

Ariel explained to the press that the area is normally closed, questioning why suddenly it is open to Muslims exclusively. “I asked police permission to enter to get a look at what was taking place there, but police refused” he added.

In recent weeks, various maintenance work has been carried out in the fifth mosque on Har Habayis on that compound. About two weeks ago a car belonging to the Jordanian Waqf and broke into the site, and last Friday thousands of people prayed there. Eran Zedekiah, a researcher of the Forum for Regional Thinking, who visited the site on Monday, estimated that in the near future the work would be completed as a permanent Muslim prayer area. At the same time, an imam was appointed to the prayer compound by the Waqf.

The Prime Minister on Tuesday morning instructed the new structure to be evacuated, claiming that the political echelon would not allow the structure to be turned into a mosque. The directive was transferred to the police and the message was also forwarded to the Jordanian authorities.

YWN NOTES: Gedolei Yisrael over the generations and the Chief Rabbinate of Israel prohibit visiting Har Habayis, which they explain carries the punishment of karess.