Ben Gvir’s Har Habayis Visit Sparks Outrage

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir faced strong criticism on Wednesday after visiting and praying on Har Habayis.

The far-right minister’s visit, prohibited by Gedolei Yisrael and the Chief Rabbinate, came after a nearly two-week period during Ramadan in which Jewish visits were restricted.

UTJ MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni condemned the move, calling it “an attack on the sanctity of the holiest place for the Jewish people and on the status quo”— referring the longstanding arrangement governing religious practices at the site.

Gafni says it was it was also an attack on “all of the Gedolei Yisrael and the chief rabbis of all generations who opposed to the ascent of Jews to the place. Your ascent there involves a strict prohibition of Kares for you and all who accompany you.

“This does not demonstrate sovereignty; on the contrary, it constitutes desecration and causes unnecessary incitement in the Muslim world,” Gafni wrote, urging Ben Gvir to “stop ascending Har Habayis.”

Many acts of murderous terrorism have been associated with Muslims believing that Jews were intending to invade or disrupt the al Aqsa mosque located on Har Habayis.

Jordan also denounced the visit, calling it a “dangerous escalation.”*

In a statement, Jordan’s foreign ministry described Ben Gvir’s visit as a *storming” and an “unacceptable provocation” that could further inflame regional tensions.

Since joining Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government in 2022, Ben Gvir has frequently publicized his visits to Har Habayis. Wednesday’s visit was his first since rejoining the coalition in March, following the government’s renewal of fighting in Gaza.

For decades, the status quo at the site has prohibited Jewish worship, but under Ben Gvir’s ministry, Israel Police have increasingly allowed limited Jewish prayer there.