In a surprising turn of political events, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid and Shas Party Chairman Aryeh Deri have broken a decade-long silence to collaborate on a contentious issue: Jewish access to the Temple Mount.
This unexpected partnership comes amid escalating tensions over recent high-profile visits to the site, particularly National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's Tisha B'Av visit yesterday (Tuesday).
The unlikely duo is reportedly working to advance legislation that would codify Rabbi Ovadia Yosef's religious ruling against Jews ascending the Temple Mount. This move appears to be a direct response to Ben-Gvir's controversial Tisha B'Av visit to the site, which has sparked outrage across the political and religious spectrum.
Adding fuel to the fire, the leading Ashkenazi Haredi newspaper, Yated Ne'eman, associated with the Degel Hatorah faction, published a scathing front-page article criticizing Ben-Gvir. The headline, "Temple Mount desecrators endanger Jewish lives," reflects growing concerns within ultra-Orthodox communities about the potential consequences of such visits.
The newspaper's editorial went further, comparing Jewish visits to the Temple Mount to "throwing a match into an oil well" and warning of dire regional consequences. It also called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take decisive action against what it termed "reckless behavior."
MK Amit Halevi of Likud strongly criticized the proposed legislation, stating, "Even a joint vote by Shas and Yesh Atid members won't turn this great mitzvah into a prohibition." Halevi argues that no rabbi, including Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, considers praying in areas built by Herod on the Temple Mount a violation of Jewish law.
The ultra-Orthodox parties' strong stance against Ben-Gvir signals growing impatience with his actions both in government and the Knesset. They are pressuring Netanyahu to take more decisive steps, having conveyed these messages in recent closed-door discussions.
* JPost and Arutz Sheva contributed to this article.