Israel: PM office retracts remarks, says no change to ban on Jewish prayer at Temple Mount

In a stark reversal from his comments that triggered furious reactions on Sunday, Israel Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s office said on July 19 that the government would not be changing any long-standing norms at a contested site in Jerusalem to allow Jews to pray there. The denial to change the ban on Jewish prayer at the Temple Mount came after he raised concerns on Sunday by saying that he was committed to protecting “freedom of worship” for Jews at the hilltop compound. While Monday’s clarification implies no change, the contested site has always allowed the Jews to visit but not pray there.

Revered as the Temple Mount, the site is held sacred by Muslims as the home of the Al Aqsa Mosque. Palestinians and the site’s Islamic authorities have feared that Israel was gradually attempting to take the control of the area. They have also flagged concerns in the past over Jews continuing to pray at the site as the friction between both sides lies fresh after the unprecedented 11-day spark in May between Israel and Hamas. 

As per The Associated Press report, an official in Bennett’s office who was not authorised to speak publicly and demanded anonymity said that despite the Israeli Prime Minister’s remarks on July 18, the long-standing practice of not allowing Jewish to pray at Temple Mount still holds. The clarification also came a day after hundreds of Jewish pilgrims visited the compound under massive guard by the law enforcement to mark the day of morning and repentance when Jews reflect on the destruction of the First and Second Temples, Tisha B’Av.

The Jews reportedly believe that the hilltop compound is where the biblical Temples once stood and is also the holiest site in Jerusalem. Meanwhile, Muslims continue to revere the site as their Noble Sanctuary, home to Al Aqsa Mosque and the third-holiest site in Islam. Earlier on Sunday, Muslim worshippers had briefly clashed with Israeli law enforcement at the flashpoint shrine. Even though no injuries were reported after the incident, it still further intensified the tensions as it came just days before Muslims celebrate the festival of Eid al-Adha or Feast of the Sacrifice.

What did Bennett say on Sunday?

During Tisha B’Av on Sunday, Bennett said that both Jews and Muslims have “freedom of worship” on the Temple Mount that triggered fears over the change of policy. Israel PM “thanked the public security minister and the Israel Police [chief] for managing the events on the Temple Mount with responsibility and consideration, while maintaining freedom of worship for Jews on the Mount,” according to the Prime Minister’s Office.

Bennett also “emphasized that freedom of worship on the Temple Mount will be fully preserved for Muslims as well, who will soon be marking the fast of the Day of Arafah and the Eid al-Adha.”

IMAGE: AP