Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sided on Sunday with far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, endorsing restrictions on Arab Israelis’ access to Al-Aqsa Mosque on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount during Ramadan, according to multiple reports.
Channels 12, 13, Haaretz, and other outlets reported that the decision diverged from the recommendations of parts of the security establishment.
A governmental source told Channel 12 news that the decision was not final, and was still being considered.
The site, often a point of clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians, is considered the holiest in Judaism, as the location of two biblical Temples, while the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Mount is the third-holiest site in Islam, turning the area into a major flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Ramadan is seen as a particularly sensitive time during which tensions often flare and clashes develop between police and worshipers.
According to the reports, Netanyahu instructed security officials at a Sunday cabinet meeting to present ministers with options for age criteria and quotas for Israeli citizens who wish to pray at the Al-Aqsa compound during Ramadan.
The reports said the Shin Bet security agency opposed Ben Gvir’s position in favor of limitations, saying no curbs should be placed on Arab Israelis. The police, however, reportedly favored the move.
Ben Gvir seeks to only allow worshipers over the age of 70 onto the Temple Mount, Ynet news said. According to Channel 12, the criteria will likely end up allowing men over 60 and children up to the age of 10 to enter the complex. The precise number is expected to be decided according to police recommendations, Haaretz reported.
War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz confirmed on X that there would be certain restrictions on entry the Temple Mount for security reasons, but said that the specifics had yet to be decided.
A decision has yet to be made regarding Ben Gvir’s demand that no Palestinians from the West Bank be permitted to enter. The Shin Bet’s position reportedly calls for allowing Palestinian men over 60 and women over 50 who have undergone Shin Bet background checks to be allowed in.
According to Haaretz, the Shin Bet believes allowing even a small amount of worshipers into the complex will aid in the prevention of clashes with police. The organization noted that Hamas did not by chance name their October 7 massacre “The Al-Aqsa Flood,” and warned that unnecessarily antagonizing the Muslim population in Israel and the West Bank during the sensitive period of Ramadan should be avoided.
Reports indicated the prime minister shot down Ben Gvir’s demand to have security forces enter the complex to intervene if worshipers raised Palestinian flags or signs praising terror.
Although Ramadan is not expected to affect the ongoing fighting in Gaza, the possibility of importing aid into the Strip that would allow Gazans to celebrate the holiday was discussed at the meeting, Haaretz reported.