Deputy Defense Minister Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan responded on Friday morning to the shooting attack at the Old City's Lions Gate in Jerusalem.
"The Cave of the Patriarchs (Me'arat Hamachpelah), the Temple Mount, and Shechem (Nablus) are the three places the Bible tells us were bought at full price in Israel," Ben-Dahan said. "These are the three places where no one can question the Jewish nation's ownership."
"We see that in the past week Palestinians have made great efforts to undermine the Jewish nation's connection to these places specifically.
"It started with UNESCO's decision that the Cave of the Patriarchs is a Palestinian heritage site, and it continued today with the three terrorists who carried out an attack immediately after leaving the Temple Mount.
"Israel must fight this effort by strengthening its rule and hold on these areas, and must ensure that every Jew can pray in these places safely and without fear.
"I pray for the victims' recovery. The police did well by closing off the Temple Mount, and it should remain closed until we are certain that the area will be quiet and secure."
Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Dov Kalmanovich warned that "the shooting attack from the direction of the Temple Mount shows that the terrorists have crossed an additional red line, and it shows that weapons have trickled from 'seam neighborhoods' in Jerusalem's Arab areas." READ MORE
