Police Draw Line on Ben-Gvir's Temple Mount Weekend Access Plan

Israeli police have formally opposed a proposal by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to open the Temple Mount to Jewish visitors on Saturdays, a move that would significantly alter the current visiting arrangements. While Ben-Gvir has overseen several relaxations of visiting rules for Jews at the holy site during his tenure, including expanded hours, police professional opinion now recommends against extending access to Saturdays. Currently, Jewish visits to the Temple Mount are permitted from Sunday to Thursday during specific hours, under police supervision.

Ben-Gvir has been actively pushing to change the status quo, which prohibits Jewish visits on the Sabbath. In September, he appealed to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to advance this change, citing a petition filed with the High Court of Justice (Bagatz) that challenges the existing ban. The petition, submitted in early September by Temple Mount activists, argues that the prohibition on Jewish and non-Muslim visitors on Saturdays is discriminatory and unreasonable, contradicting historical arrangements.

The activists are seeking an interim order from the court, asserting that there is no security justification for keeping the site closed on Saturdays, especially given recent changes in visiting regulations and enforcement. They suggest the refusal to open the Temple Mount on Saturdays may stem from "extraneous considerations" unrelated to security.

Simultaneously, Ben-Gvir has publicly supported the policy change. In a letter to Netanyahu on September 16, he argued that allowing Jewish visits on Saturdays would strengthen Israeli sovereignty and governance at the site. He dismissed security concerns, stating that "Jewish pride and standing on principles not only does not harm security but the opposite, it contributes crucially to the country's security and resilience." He also warned against "folding before the threats of our enemies."

The police's opposition gains particular weight given their recent accommodations for Jewish visitors. Jerusalem District Commander Superintendent Absalom Peled revealed in an October interview that police even conducted a pilot program allowing a group of 15 Jews to visit with prayer arrangements, coordinated with the Shin Bet. However, requests to bring prayer items like tallitot and tefillin remain unapproved.