Sephardic Chief Rabbi: Do Not Vote for Knesset Members Visiting Temple Mount

Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef has called on voters not to support Knesset members who ascend to the Temple Mount, deeming such individuals to be lacking in divine fear and forbidden by Jewish law to receive votes. Speaking at a Shas party election rally in Acre, Rabbi Yosef urged the audience to vote only for those who fear heaven and follow the path of the Torah, specifically mentioning Shas representatives and party leader Aryeh Deri.

This directive comes amid concerns within the Haredi Sephardic party Shas about potential vote leakage to right-wing parties like Otzma Yehudit. Several prominent right-wing politicians are known to visit the Temple Mount, including Otzma Yehudit leader Itamar Ben-Gvir, Zehut chairman Moshe Feiglin, and Likud members Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, Ariel Kallner, and Amit Halevi.

Despite Rabbi Yosef's strong condemnation, Itamar Ben-Gvir recently received a warm reception from Rabbi Reuven Elbaz, a member of Shas's Council of Torah Sages. Rabbi Elbaz reportedly praised Ben-Gvir's policies regarding stricter measures for imprisoned terrorists. This interaction highlights a complex political landscape where religious rulings intersect with political alliances and electoral strategies.