Bennett, Arab lawmakers spar over Temple Mount access

Early on Sunday morning, clashes erupted between Israeli police and Arabs on the Temple Mount. The rioters were quickly dispersed and no serious injuries were reported. Hours later, some 1,700 Jewish Israelis, including several MKs, arrived on the Mount to mark the fast day, according to Israeli media reports. According to Palestinian officials, police forcefully evacuated Muslim worshippers to clear the way for the Jewish visitors.

Bennett issued a statement on Sunday thanking Public Security Minister Omer Bar-Lev and Israel Police Commissioner Yaakov Shabtai for managing the events on the Temple Mount “with responsibility and consideration while maintaining freedom of worship for Jews on the Mount.”

The statement emphasized that this freedom “will be fully preserved” for Muslims as well, who Bennett noted would soon be marking Eid al-Adha and the Day of Arafah fast.

Bennett’s statement sparked some confusion as it seemed to indicate a significant break from the status quo that has existed at the site since Israel reunified Jerusalem in the wake of the 1967 Six-Day War. The Islamic religious trust that administers the site does not permit Jews to pray there, and Israeli security forces have enforced their wishes.

However, Bennett quickly tweeted, both in Hebrew and in Arabic, that the latest events do not reflect any change to the policy of prohibiting Jewish religious practices in the plaza.