Jerusalem – Amid increased visits by Jews to the Temple Mount over the intermediate days of Passover, MK Moshe Gafni (United Torah Judaism) said on Wednesday that Jews who ascend to the Temple Mount are instigating war.
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In an interview with Israel Radio, Gafni said that, according to religious law, there is a prohibition that prevents Jews from visiting the site until a new temple is built.
Gafni attributed the destruction of the Second Temple during Roman times to a similar failure to observe these religious bans.
The MK cited these violations as a serious problem that afford Muslim extremists a world audience in which they can blame Israel for things “that appear far more grievous than they actually are.”
Gafni argued that the need to ascend to the historical site is unnecessary. “Israel is the only sovereign power in Jerusalem and therefore the need to visit the Temple Mount is superfluous and stupid.”
The issue of Jews going up to the Temple Mount has been a particular source of tension of late, after two Muslim men were arrested on the Temple Mount on Tuesday for attacking a group of Jewish visitors, and nine Jews were removed from the site for breaching security protocols.
Video footage from Arab media emerged shortly after the incident showing the two Muslims assault the small group of Jews shortly after entering the compound. Seconds later, Border Police officers subdued the assailants following a wild melee.
This came after the Jordanian Media Affairs Minister Muhammad al-Momani accused “Israeli settlers and police” of flagrantly violating international laws and conventions by “storming al-Aksa Mosque” on Monday.
In response to these allegations, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly and categorically denied accusations that Israel intends to alter the status quo at the site, which allows unlimited Muslim prayer and limited Jewish visitation.
Agree 100% arent these fanatic hooligans scared of the punishment of כרת for this,severe transgression!?
This is no longer something to be tolerated. The security forces should absolutely block these madmen from going up to har habayis to engage in their moishichist fantasies. As the article note, they are certain to trigger violent reactions and bloodshed. If they ignore the warnings not to go and attempt to bypass the security points, the police should open fire on them. Killing a few crazy zealots, albeit yiddeshe zealots, is much preferable to the much larger number of casualties of innocent victims of Arab violence their actions will precipitate. If they want to do something to show their love of moishiach, then they should come to Brooklyn and run up and down Eastern Parkway with yellow flags or shecht a goat at the Ohel but STAY OFF har habayis.
I have news for the hand out wanting, OSLO supporting Gafne, Israel does NOT have control of Yerushalyaim ever since 1967 when Dayan in an act typical of atheist Zionists gave the mufti the rights to Har Habayis, instead of leveling the Dome of the Rock, can you imagine what Stalin would have chosen to do?
The MK is just restating the obvious. However, tragically many are digging their heads in the sand and trying to deny the blatant truth.
Should it be construction in volatile settlement area or any such acts related in nature causes terror.
The truth cannot be denied. Wake up from your slumber.
Ridiculous! Would anyone ever dare say that a Muslim’s right to pray on their holy site is instigating war?! Insanity!!
The key words spoken ”israel is the only sovereign power” ,why does jordan threaten israel when jews ascend to the holy place?When they succeed in keeping that place, they will extend their power to the old city and then to jerusalem entirely .
Reagrdless of whether or not Halacha allows a Jew to go to any areas on the Temple Mount, to say that doing so is instigating war is highly inflammatory and is equivalent to saying that anyone walking around in Yerushalyim is instigating stabbing attacks. Even if the Temple Mount were only an arabic holy place, are Israelis not free to walk where they want to? If the arabs would riot and start stabbing people everytime someone visited the kosel hamaravi would MK Gafni say visiting the kosel is instigating war?
Moshe Gafni says: “… attributed the destruction of the Second Temple during Roman times to a similar failure to observe these religious bans. …”
Which Seifer says this?
(I am familiar with the Sinas Chinam reason from Maseches Gittin, but, have never heard of this (failure to observe religious bans)).
Not everything that is true ought to be said, Rav Gafni. Telling the world this is also instigating war…
I think the MK’s statement is foolish. There is confusion going on between what is permitted according to halacha and what is permitted according to politics/Israeli law. These two should not be mixed. If the government was built on the foundations of Torah, then halacha should be considered, and the issur on ascending to Har Habayis is the consensus of all recent, respected poskim. Inasmuch as it is not, then the use of halacha is out of place. One can safely address this behavior as antagonistic to the Muslims ימח שמם. And this can be a political decision.
In any case, the only reason why to not go onto the Har Habayis should be the Torah based issur, no governmental laws.