Lapid insists Israel committed to Temple Mount status quo, meaning no Jewish prayer

“Israel is committed to the status quo on the Temple Mount,” Foreign Minister Yair Lapid says in a briefing to journalists at his Jerusalem ministry.

“Muslims pray on the Temple Mount, non-Muslims only visit. There is no change, there will be no change,” Lapid reaffirms.

While Israel remains publicly committed to the policy, Muslims complain that in practice some Jewish visitors to the Temple Mount do pray. On Saturday night, Diaspora Affairs Minister Nachman Shai gave an interview to Israel’s public broadcaster in which he confirmed a “deterioration” in the status quo.

“There are a lot more Jews who are going up to the Temple Mount. There are some that stop on the way and pray, which was forbidden,” Shai told public channel Kan.

“Shai is misinformed,” Lapid asserts, in response to a question from The Times of Israel about the Diaspora affairs minister’s comments, while also relenting: “Somebody might sneak by now and then.”

Lapid says that, in line with Israel’s official policy, the police that enforce order on the Temple Mount are instructed to prevent Jewish prayer.

However, while upholding the status quo policy, Lapid says he finds fault with a policy that prevents Jewish worship in the Jewish state.

“By the way, I don’t feel comfortable with the idea that Jews do not have freedom of religion in the State of Israel and that Jews are banned from the site,” he says. “I do know what instructions the police have – and they’re enforcing them to the best of their ability – that Muslims can pray on the Temple Mount and that other religions can visit.”