News Anchor Sparks Controversy Calling Jewish Visits to Temple Mount Divisive

During a broadcast on Tisha B'Av, Channel 12 news anchor Almaz Mangisto described Jewish visits to the Temple Mount as a divisive act. She referenced recent visits by Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Knesset member Amit Halevi, who arrived at the site carrying Israeli flags and singing the national anthem near the Dome of the Rock. Mangisto suggested such actions provoke division.

In response, Rabbi Menachem Kalmanson, a recipient of the Israel Prize, disagreed strongly with Mangisto's characterization. He called the visits joyful events and affirmed that Jews have a rightful place to pray on the Temple Mount. Rabbi Kalmanson emphasized that Jewish prayer there does not conflict with Muslim worship and that Jerusalem should remain accessible to all peoples as a sacred place of prayer.

The exchange highlights ongoing tensions surrounding Jewish access to the Temple Mount, a site sacred to both Jews and Muslims. The debate reflects broader disputes over religious and national identity in Jerusalem, especially on significant dates like Tisha B'Av, which commemorates the destruction of the Jewish Temples.