UTJ chairman Moseh Gafni called on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to leave Har Habyis closed to Jews. “Due to our sins the Beis Hamikdash was destroyed and there’s a chiyuv kareis in ascending to Har Habayis,” Gafni stated on Motzei Shabbos. Nevertheless, Har Habayis was opened to Jews on Sunday morning for the first time since May 10. Religious Zionist politicians from the Religious Zionism party and Yamina slammed Gafni’s request, with Religious Zionism MK Itamar Ben-Gvir saying that closing the site to Jews is a capitulation to Hamas. According to a B’Chadrei Chareidim report, Gafni’s request even aroused opposition within the UTJ party, with one senior member saying that Gafni’s statement doesn’t reflect the opinions of all members of the party. “We support Jews not ascending to Har Habayis because that is the opinion of Gedolei Yisrael,” he said. “But Gafni’s goal right now is to concede to the Arabs – which will lend them legitimacy to continue their riots in Jerusalem.” Riots continued to take place on Har Habayis overnight Motzei Shabbos and on Friday. Jews were forbidden from visiting Har Habayis since Yom Yerushalayim amid flaring tensions in the capital. Later that day, Hamas threatened to fire rockets at Israel if Israeli police didn’t back off from Har Habayis and the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah. Hamas fulfilled its threat and Operation Guardian of the Walls began. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

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