Chief Rabbi David Lau
Chief Rabbi David LauFlash 90

Israel's Chief Rabbi (Ashkenazic), Rabbi David Lau, spoke with Arutz Sheva Wednesday about Jewish ascent to the Temple Mount 

"The Western Wall and the Temple Mount are in our possession," he affirmed. "We have the great privilege, that the place the Shechina never moved away from, the Kotel, is a place of Jewish prayer, throughout the generations, and the Temple Mount is in our hands."

He stressed that those who claim Israel does not have true possession of the Temple Mount are wrong, since the Israel Police and other security arms do control the Mount.

"I wish that we could merit to have full Jewish presence, but in the present state of things, we thank God for this right," he said.

The Temple Mount, he said, is a place of such sanctity that one should not ascend there "just for a tour," but rather, one day "we will merit, with God's help, to ascend there in purity. We aspire to have completeness of sanctity – but that is why we pray and do God's work."

Regarding the Women of the Wall, Rabbi Lau did not address the group directly but noted that while there is enough room at the Kotel for everyone who wants to pray there, he expects people who come to the Kotel on occasion to behave with respect toward the people who are there 24 hours a day, in snow and heat, and who pray in a certain way.

Common courtesy, he explained, dictates people not to behave in a way that disturbs the Jews who pray at the site all year long, and which is crude and hurtful.