Dismissing critics, PM says he always intended to let Jews enter Temple Mount

11 August 2019, 7:32 pm

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says in a statement that he had intended from the start to allow Jewish entry into the Temple Mount this morning, dismissing right-wing criticism of his conduct.

“On Thursday, after consultations with all security bodies, I made a decision,” he says. “This year, like all years, Jews will enter the Temple Mount on Tisha B’Av, even when it is a Muslim festival. The question was never whether they would enter, but how to manage it optimally for the public’s safety, and that’s exactly what we did.

“I am not impressed by all the recommendations of the Twitter cabinet,” Netanyahu adds. “Leadership is responsibility and determination. That is how we have acted, and that is how we will continue to act.”