Thursday, May 18, 2023

Cabinet minister and MKs visit flashpoint Temple Mount ahead of controversial march

Lawmakers from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party and a minister from the far-right Otzma Yehudit were among hundreds of Jewish visitors to the flashpoint Temple Mount on Thursday.

The visits came as security forces geared up for a potential renewal of violence, ahead of a controversial march through Jerusalem, including the Old City’s Muslim Quarter, slated to go ahead despite recent tensions.

Hundreds of Jewish visitors entered the holy site, including Negev and Galilee Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf and MK Yitzhak Kroizer — both from the Otzma Yehudit party led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir — as well as Likud MKs Dan Illouz, Amit Halevi and Ariel Kallner. READ MORE