Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir ascended the Har Habayis in Yerushalayim on Wednesday morning, igniting a firestorm of criticism and reigniting tensions over the contentious site just days before Pesach. The visit, Ben-Gvir’s first since rejoining Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s coalition two weeks ago, drew sharp rebukes from rabbanim, political opponents, and Palestinian groups, underscoring the fragile status quo at one of the world’s most sensitive religious locations. Ben-Gvir, leader of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, arrived at the Har Habayis under heavy police escort early Wednesday morning, flanked by personal bodyguards and a small group of supporters. In a statement posted on X, he declared, “I went up to pray for Israel’s safety, the return of our hostages, and victory over our enemies—Har Habayis is ours, and we will not bow to threats.” The visit coincided with a record surge in Jewish visits to the Har Habayis, with over 50,000 recorded in 2024, a trend Ben-Gvir has championed despite widespread halachic prohibitions from leading rabbanim. The move drew immediate condemnation from Degel Hatorah MK Moshe Gafni, who branded it a “desecration of the sacred site” and a “provocation that risks bloodshed.” Gafni, writing in Yated Ne’eman, reiterated the near-unanimous stance of Gedolei Yisrael—past and present—that entering the Har Habayis is assur.  “Ben-Gvir’s actions defy Torah and endanger Jews worldwide,” he warned. “This storming of Al-Aqsa reflects the Zionist agenda to Judaize our holy places,” a Hamas spokesman said said, echoing sentiments from Jordan and the Palestinian Authority, which called for international intervention. The U.S. State Department, recalling its August 2024 condemnation of a similar visit, urged Israel to uphold the status quo, under which Jews may visit but not daven at the site—a policy Ben-Gvir has openly sought to dismantle. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office swiftly distanced itself, stating, “The status quo on the Temple Mount remains unchanged—Minister Ben-Gvir’s actions do not reflect government policy.” The rebuttal came amid Netanyahu’s delicate balancing act with his coalition, bolstered by Otzma Yehudit’s return after a brief exit over a Gaza ceasefire deal. Yet Ben-Gvir’s defiance—he has visited the Har Habayis multiple times since 2023, including davening there in July 2024—has fueled accusations of weakness against Netanyahu from opposition leader Yair Lapid, who said, “Bibi can’t control his own government.” Gedolei HaPoskim throughout the ages including today’s leading rabbanim have ruled it is absolutely forbidden to visit Har Habayis. This is also the ruling of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. This is an Issur Kares. Sixteen years ago on Sukkos, then President Shimon Peres paid a visit to the Sukkah of the late Posek Hador, Maran HaGaon Rav Elyashiv Zt”l, during which Rav Elyashiv called on the president to prevent Jews from visiting Har Habayis, stating it is an act that that is viewed as extremely provocative by the goyim. He said everything possible must be done to avoid a religious war, and the provocateurs are playing with fire. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)