MK Moshe Feiglin (Likud) attacked Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in an interview with Arutz Sheva Monday, and explained his decisions in the fight between himself and the prime minister over his right to visit the Temple Mount.
MK Feiglin's parliamentary activity has been curtailed by the coalition management, following Feiglin's own announcement that he no longer sees himself as being bound by coalition discipline. This announcement followed Netanyahu's decision to prevent Feiglin from ascending to the Temple Mount as he has done on a monthly basis for years.
MK Feiglin said that the police officer who called him to inform him that he was no longer allowed on the Mount confirmed that the instruction had come directly from the Prime Minister's Office.
"The Waqf decides which of the sovereign power's representatives will ascend the Temple Mount and who will not,” MK Feiglin explained, “and Netanyahu becomes a foot soldier who takes orders from the Waqf.”
Feiglin voiced disappointment at the fact that Coalition Chairman MK Yariv Levin, whose support he expected in the matter, has taken the prime minister's side. He noted that 15 Mks from coalition parties, including MK Elazar Stern of Tzipi Livni's Hatnua, signed a petition calling on Netanyahu to allow Feiglin to visit the Temple Mount.
"This is something we will regret for generations,” he charged. “This is a de facto handing over of the Temple Mount to the Waqf.”
MK Feiglin said that he still has hopes that MK Levin will come around and support him. “If MK Stern joined the call to let me ascend to the Mount, I do not see why MK Levin cannot do so also.”