Member of Knesset Yaakov Asher (United Torah Judaism) has protested what he sees as an attack on the sanctity of the Temple Mount when Jews go up to the Mount, contrary to Jewish law, and also cause hatred of Jews and threats to the lives of Jews all over the world.
Speaking at a Knesset House Committee hearing on Monday regarding MKs going up to the Temple Mount, Asher said, "Jews do not have to be on the Temple Mount according to the halakha, the same Jewish law by which we possess a deed of ownership over the Land of Israel." Addressing MKs Yehuda Glick and Shuli Moalem-Refaeli about their visits to the holy site, he said, "All the provocations around us only harm the sanctity of the place and endanger Jews all over the world, all for headlines in the newspapers? To accumulate electoral power? Leave the Temple Mount. It's a holy place. It's ours, whether you go up or not, with or without a video camera. Take the issue off the [public] agenda and leave it in our hearts and our prayers that we will merit the building of the Temple."