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This is a significant pronouncement by an Israeli court recognizing and protecting the basic and inherent right of a Jew to pray on the Temple Mount in the heart of Jerusalem! The Temple Mount is the site of the First and Second Holy Temples that were built by the ancient Israelites thousands of years ago. Precisely due to this fact, Jerusalem was crowned as Israel’s eternal unified capital and is at the very center of Jewish prayer for thousands of years!
Photo of Jewish Prayer on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. Photo Credit: OneJ.org Staff
Court approves of silent Jewish prayer on Temple Mount
Article Courtesy: JWire
Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court Justice Bilha Yahalom accepted on Wednesday an appeal by Rabbi Aryeh Lippo against the police’s ban on his visits to the Temple Mount and ordered it to shorten the ban and allow him to return to his prayers there. He was initially banned by the police for his practice of praying on the Temple Mount.
“His daily arrival at the Temple Mount indicates that this is a matter of principle and substance for him,” she noted.
During the hearing, the court watched a video documenting the Jews’ prayer on the Temple Mount, and according to the court, a silent prayer on the Temple Mount does not violate the police’s guidelines on the issue.
“The respondent does not dispute that the appellant, like many others, prays on a daily basis on the Temple Mount and this activity in itself does not violate police instructions,” Judge Yahalom noted.
Jewish worshippers are currently enabled only limited access in time and space during their visits to the Temple Mount.
Temple Mount organizations welcomed the ruling which recognizes and approves of “the positive process that is going on the Temple Mount.”
Activist Assaf Fried stated that “Israel’s return to the Temple Mount is an existing and intensifying fact. After the police, the court also recognizes this and gives it its legal approval.”
Shai Glick, CEO of the B’Tsalmo rights organization, stated that he is sure that from now on the Israel Police will understand and implement the court ruling and the prayers will continue as normal.
