Five senior rabbis from Jerusalem, regarded as leading halachic (Jewish legal) authorities in the Jewish world, made an unusual public appearance to sharply condemn the visit by government ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Yitzhak Wasserlauf, both from the right-wing Otzma Yehudit party, to the Temple Mount.
The rabbis harshly criticized the politicians who visited the site and denounced the dozens who prostrated themselves there in direct violation of the status quo. Many Orthodox Jews believe that Jews should not enter the site so that they do not step in the areas of great holiness.
The request for this unusual video, which was released with Arabic subtitles, came from Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, following a plea from security officials. The security authorities, it is claimed, asked the mayor to enlist religious leaders to deliver a clear message regarding the Temple Mount, amid strong condemnations from both neighboring and distant Arab nations, as well as Western countries. The video has already been published on PANET, a website aimed at the Arab-Israeli audience.
Two of the senior rabbis are considered the most prominent in the Old City, and their decision to speak out carries significant weight and broad public implications. Rabbi Avigdor Nebenzahl, the elder halachic authority in Israel and the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem's Old City, delivered a stern warning: "All the leading rabbis have signed – do not ascend the Temple Mount. It is strictly forbidden to enter the Temple Mount."
Rabbi Shmuel Betzalel, a member of the Council of Torah Sages and head of the Porat Yosef Yeshiva in the Old City, also spoke decisively. "The majority of the leading halachic authorities of our generation forbid this, and no one should ascend the Temple Mount," he declared. Rabbi David Cohen, a member of the Council of Torah Sages, condemned those who ascend the Mount, calling them hooligans. "We have an obligation to protest. This is something that cannot be ignored. These hooligans have desecrated the Temple publicly," Rabbi Cohen stated.
Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, appealed to the nations of the world, emphasizing that the majority of the Jewish public has no connection to these provocations. "I call on the nations of the world not to see these government ministers as representatives of the Jewish people. They do not represent Israel. Most Jews in Israel and around the world do not ascend the Temple Mount. Please work to calm the situation; we all believe in one God and seek peace among nations. We must not let extremist fringes lead us."
Rabbi Simcha Rabinowitz, a prominent Haredi halachic authority, also expressed strong opposition and hinted at the politicians who ascend the Temple Mount. "This is a clear prohibition that applies to everyone. Certainly, we must protest against all those who disregard this prohibition, no matter how great or famous they may be."
Ben-Gvir's ascent to the Temple Mount on Tisha B'Av continued to draw harsh condemnations. The Haredi press criticized Ben-Gvir and other Jews who ascended the Mount on the day of mourning. The front page of Yated Ne'eman, a publication associated with the ultra-Orthodox Degel HaTorah party, stated: "Those desecrating the Temple Mount are endangering Jewish lives." The headline also noted that the rabbis are demanding a reevaluation of the coalition partnership with the Otzma Yehudit party.
See the rabbis speak out against visiting the Temple Mount with Arabic subtitles
About 1,500 Jews visited the Temple Mount Tuesday, with dozens recorded praying and prostrating themselves in the compound in violation of the status quo – all under the watchful eye of Ben-Gvir and Wasserlauf, both government ministers from the far-right Otzma Yehudit party. "There has been significant progress here in terms of governance and sovereignty; Our policy is to allow prayer," Ben-Gvir boasted.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office distanced itself from the event. "There is no private policy of any minister on the Temple Mount – not of the National Security Minister nor of any other minister. This has always been the case in all Israeli governments. This morning's event on the Temple Mount is a deviation from the status quo," read a statement from the Prime Minister's Office.
Ben-Gvir's actions, in the midst of a war and during preparations for a potential conflict with Iran and Hezbollah, sparked outrage in Israel's political system and also in a number of countries around the world. The Haredi factions in the Knesset also joined in the condemnations.