Temple Mount storm:
MK Knesset Yom Tov Kalfon of the right-wing party today (Sunday) attacked the Minister of Internal Security, Amar Bar-Lev of the Labor Party, over his policy toward Jewish immigrants to the Temple Mount.
Kalfon, who is considered the coalition's right-wing marker, called for a quick discussion in the Knesset's Internal Security Committee, due to what he defined as "arbitrary arrests of Jews on the Temple Mount."
In collaboration with MK Simcha Rotman of the opposition, Kalfon attacked Bar-Lev because he called the Temple Mount the place's Muslim name.
He said, "The increase in arrests, along with the statement of the Minister of Internal Security - the nickname 'Haram al-Sharif' - raises concerns about a change in the minister's policy towards the Jews on the Temple Mount, while severely violating the law regarding freedom of visitation and worship of Jews in the holy site for Judaism for 3,500 years. The Temple Mount".
As you may recall, the Minister of Internal Security is holding a discussion today in his office in Jerusalem to summarize the period of the holidays and the conduct on the Temple Mount.
During the discussion, Minister Bar-Lev was presented with the "customary situation" regarding the prayer of Jews and Muslims on the Temple Mount as determined by the Israeli government in 1967, according to which Jews will pray next to the Western Wall and Muslims in mosques on the Temple Mount.
According to this situation the Temple Mount will be open for the visit of non-Muslims but not for prayer.
At the end of the discussion, Minister Bar-Lev concluded that "the Israel Police strictly adheres to the current situation on the Temple Mount. The Temple Mount is sacred to Jews and Muslims and hence the sensitivity and explosiveness of any deviation from the current situation." 1967, immediately after the Six Day War and has been adopted by Israeli governments ever since. "
The Minister added: "The Israel Police has maintained the current situation on the Temple Mount, except in exceptional cases, which it quickly identified and acted against. There is also a clear interest of the State of Israel in continuing to maintain cooperation with the Jordanian Waqf."
