Ben Gvir Asks Netanyahu to Permit Jewish Visits to Temple Mount on Saturdays
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir asked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to allow Jewish visits to the Temple Mount on Saturdays, sparking a High Court debate.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has formally requested Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to permit Jewish visits to the Temple Mount on Saturdays, framing the move as a crucial step for governance.
The position was presented during a High Court of Justice hearing prompted by a petition from the Temple Mount Directorate, which sought to overturn the long-standing ban on non-Muslim visitors during Shabbat.
State representatives requested additional time to formulate their official response. Meanwhile, Ben Gvir argued in a letter to the prime minister that opening the site on Saturdays would bolster national resilience and correct a perceived inequality.
"There is no reason in the world why the mount should be open seven days a week to Muslims while Jews are barred specifically on Saturday," Ben Gvir stated, dismissing security concerns regarding the proposed policy change.
