Menachem Porush, former MK from Agudat Yisrael and father of current MK Meir Porush, famously took credit for persuading then Minister of Defense Moshe Dayan (after a delegation of rabbis led by Rav Yechezkal Abramsky met with Dayan) to give Har Habayit over to the Arabs after the Six Day War in which Israel had retaken the Old City and Har HaBayit..
Today MK Moshe Feiglin went up to Har HaBayit, as he does on the 19th of every Hebrew month, and attempted to use his immunity as MK to enter one of the mosques. This specific mosque has barred entry to non-Muslim visitors, but, according to the news reports, Feiglin insisted as MK to be granted entry. The Arabs got upset, made a bit deal, thigns got heated, and Feiglin was removed from Har Habayit.
MK Meir Porush (UTJ), son of Menachem Porush mentioned above, has now issued a call to Prime Minister Netanyahu to throw Feiglin out of the Likud due to his actions this morning. According to Porush, Feigline's attempt to go up to har Habayit was irresponsible and dangerous, and damages the sensitive relations with the Muslims, and it could lead to igniting a new intifada. Porush also called on Tzippi Livni and Yair Lapid as members of a future coalition to join him in this demand.
(source: Kikar)
While the call to Netanyahu said Feiglin's attempt to ascend Har Habayit was the problem, the truth is he ascends regularly and that is not what caused the kerfuffle. What caused it was the incident by the mosque. Further, the truth is, the incident was not even by a mosque. it was by the Dome of the Rock, which is not a mosque.
Feiglin said about this morning's incident:
In the inroduction to his book "Har Habayit", Rav Goren zt"l wrote that when there is the risk of foreign control over Mount Moriah, it is even permissible to enter the area of the azara, the courtyard that is normally forbidden to non-kohanim and to those impure, in order to not give them a foothold on the mount of God, for the ascent of Jews on the Mount in this situation is considered conquering and prevents foreigners from taking it over.
From the moment I became MK, a representative of the ruling Jewish authority in Eretz Yisrael - I have sensed that these words of Rav Goren obligate me to go into any and every area of Har Habayit. This morning I did so and I never had imagined how right I was. It seems the Dome of the Rock, which is not a mosque, has been closed for two years from Jews and tourists. "Only Muslims can enter" the Waqf representative said to me when I politely asked to enter. I explained to the police officer that by law nobody can prevent entry from an MK to any place, and definitely not to a place that citizens are allowed to enter. The response of the policeman was astounding - " the place belongs to the Muslim Waqf". Here it is - the heart and core of Eretz Yisrael, the place of the Holy of Holies, has been given practical control to the Muslims - simply because Jews have not walked there because of its holiness.
It is important to stress, I am not calling on Jews to start going to the place of the mikdash itself - there is a difference between me as MK and between the wider public, but what became clear this morning was a clear admission regarding the loss of Jewish authority on the Mountain, and it is incumbent upon all of us to be drafted with our feet to change the situation.
It is my intention to turn today to the Attorney General in order to clarify the status of authority on the Mount and the breaking of the law by the Israeli Police.
One can debate whether what Feiglin did was prudent or not. Personally, I think the only thing that will change the current situation is something that will shake things up. What Feiglin did is perhaps just what was needed to bring about the renewed discussion regarding control over Har Habayit, and what Jews should be allowed to do while on it.
Regarding Porush, well, perhaps the attitude about Har Habayit just runs in the family.
