In Gafni's letter he writes (my translation):
Temple Mount is the holiest place to the Jewish nation. That's where the servic eof the Bet Hamikdash was, the sacrifices were offered there, the Holy of Holies was located there into which the Kohen Gadol entered on Yom Kippur... Because of our sins the Temple was destroyed and there is a "chiyuv kares" for going up to Har Habayit. We now pray "our eyes should see your merciful return to Zion". Not ascending Har Habayit is the deepest proof of our connection to this holy place to which all the prayer s around the world are directed.sources: INN, NRG
Recently it has been publicized that the police, under certain conditions, are recommending to allow MKs to ascend Har Habayit, and the decision is in your hand.
I hereby turn to youand request you take the decision to continue preventing the ascent to Har Habayit, both for the diplomatic reasons of how states around the world relate to this, and for the security reasons due to the incitement in the arab world, and not just there, because of this, and especially because there is no reason for [ascending] - it does not show authority. Just the opposite. It is a desecration of the holiness at the most holy place to Jews....
It sounds like backwards logic. Keeping us away from it shows how great our connections is. I can think of many examples in which keeping us away from something does not indicate any strong connection, though there is a certain logic, backwards as it may be, in saying that keeping the distance shows our respect for it more. By that logic he should accept the UNESCO findings and encourage the Prime Minister to keep the Jews away from the Kotel - and our distance from the Kotel will prove our deep connection to it. That has diplomatic issues, and the security issues could be relevant in a moments notice, if the Muslims decide to rally around the UNESCO decision.
His argument does not hold much weight though, If the police are recommending to allow them back on, it means they have evaluated the situation and have decided that it poses no security threat any longer. Who is Moshe Gafni to come and say it still poses a threat?
From a halachic perspective it is also inaccurate. There was never any "chiyuv kares" to ascend Har Habayit. Even if one says that Jews should not today do so for any of a variety of reasons, one cannot just make things up. There was never a chiyuv kares for this, and nobody can create one. There is a chiyuv kares for being in the azara in a state of impurity, but not on Har Habayit.
Gafni should keep arguing his real position that the rabbonim have banned it and halacha is against it (which is debatable, but at least it is a real position to get behind) and not just make things up.
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