Fact or Fiction: The Recent Claim of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

In a surprising development, a Knesset journalist is to have claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Jews have the right to pray on the Temple Mount.  The words attributed to Netanyahu are found in an article from the Hebrew Har-Habait website, which focuses on the Temple Mount and the restoration of the Jewish Temple.  Netanyahu is to have said,

"The right of the Jewish people to their holy place, the Temple Mount, is unquestionable," Netanyahu spoke, "and I believe that the right of prayer for Jews in this place should be regulated, even more so that we give freedom of worship to all religions in Jerusalem."

When will it happen?  Netanyahu is to have responded, “Don’t worry, it will happen, before the death of the Messiah" (המשיח ימות לפני).


In just under three weeks, the Israeli Election Day will take place.  More precisely, it is the second Israeli presidential election in 2019 because after Netanyahu won the first earlier this year, he was not able to form a coalition.  With the upcoming election, I wonder if the claims made above are actually in fact from Netanyahu or from someone’s imagination and merely fiction.  Perhaps a little of both?

Please let me know your thoughts.

Dome of the Rock and the Dome of the Chain to the right: the Dome of the Chain is not a mosque, rather a place of prayer; it is the structure closest to center on the Temple Mount; the Dome of the Chain was most likely built by the Umayyad Caliph Abdul Malik in 691 CE; for a time it was used as a Christian chapel to Saint James following the Crusader conquest.  (Summer 2017) LFL

Waqf official standing near the Dome of the Rock (Summer 2017) LFL

Temple Mount: taken on the raised esplanade; Dome of the Rock to the upper right; Dome of the Chain seen slightly to the left just above the tan tarp (Summer 2017) LFL