Israel is reportedly set on barring Jews from entering Yerushalayim’s Har Habayis during the last 10 days of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, despite a concerted push by firebrand ministers in the government.
According to Kan public broadcaster, which cited a contentious meeting recently held over Israeli policy, non-Muslims will be prohibited from entering the flashpoint site during Ramadan’s end – as in previous years.
The Har Habayis is the holiest site for Jews, while Muslims revere it as the Al Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest shrine in Islam. Ramadan has often coincided with upticks in violence between Palestinians and Israelis.
Sunday’s report said the measure of barring Jews from the Mount faces strong opposition from Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, a staunch proponent of changing the status quo of entry and prayer restrictions for Jews.
During the meeting, Ben Gvir reportedly argued that Israel’s previous government, under Yair Lapid, “closed the Temple Mount for fewer days than what you want” – nine instead of 10. He also urged that the site should never be off-limits to Jews.
Under a decades-long arrangement, non-Muslims are allowed to visit the Har Habayis during certain hours of the day, but may not pray there. In recent years, Jewish religious nationalist blocs – including members of Israel’s right-wing government – have visited the site with increasing frequency, demanding equal prayer and visitation rights for Jews there.
Nonetheless, the ban on Jewish entry during the last 10 days of Ramadan seems set to be applied this year as well, Kan said. –i24 News
“Ramadan has often coincided with upticks in violence between Palestinians and Israelis”. Israelis become more violent during ramadan?