MK Moshe Gafni (UTJ) today sent a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In the letter Gafni requested Netanyahu's intervention on an urgent matter - the increased number of Ministers and Members of Knesset ascending Har Habayit today, in honor and in celebration of Yom Yerushalayim.
Gafni explains the significance of Har Habayit and the destruction fo the Mikdash, along with the severity of ascending Har Habayit. Gafni writes that today we are seeing more Ministers and MKs going up to Har Habayit, but with the decision being in your hands (ie PM Netanyahu's hands), Gafni requests to prevent any further ascension for both diplomatic reasons and for security reasons. Diplomatic reasons because of how countries around the world look at this situation. Security reasons because of the incitement it causes as well, especially in the Arab world. And the main reason, Gafni says, is because there is no reason to go up - it does not show any sovereignty and only causes a desecration of the holiest place.
I understand 100% where Gafni is coming from, even though I disagree with his assertions. However, if Gafni is so bothered by the desecration and wants PM Netanyahu to put an end to it, why does he not also demand the end of the desecration of the place by the Arabs? If he is just worried about protecting Jews from kareis, so he doesnt care about the divine punishment the Arabs will get from their presence and behavior there, but he doesnt say that this is his concern. he is concerned about the desecration of the place (along with the diplomatic/security fallout). If he is concerned over the desecration, at least request shutting it down to everybody forever.
Gafni also must realize what an order from Netanyahu will effect - Ben Gvir, already teetering on the edge of the coalition, would create such a ruckus over an order to stop them from ascending. Gafni must know Netanyahu will not respond positively to this because of the ramifications that would have. This letter is for show, and nothing more.
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