
Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef on Saturday night slammed National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir (Otzma Yehudit) for ascending the Temple Mount.
During his weekly Torah class, Rabbi Yosef said, "There is one of the government ministers - I don't want to mention his name, he is not worthy that I should mention his name here, in this place - he unashamedly enters the Temple Mount, sinning and causing others to sin."
"Because of him, people stumble and enter the Temple Mount," Rabbi Yosef added.
According to some opinions, it is permitted to ascend the Temple Mount so long as the proper preparations are performed and certain areas are avoided. However, according to other opinions, it is forbidden to ascend the Temple Mount, since according to those opinions it is not clear which areas one is permitted and which are forbidden.
Though there have been other ministers who ascended the Temple Mount, currently Ben Gvir is the one who is most vocal and public about his trips.