Purim, was supposed to be a day of destruction for the Jewish people. But in an unexpected twist, that date actually turned into a day of celebration for them instead. This theme of irony during the Purim holiday is referred to by the Jewish people as the concept of nahafochu (We will switch around).
And the concept of nahafochu may be manifesting itself in Israel’s political realm following Monday’s elections.
That’s because Benny Gantz, who is considered to be to the left of Netanyahu, came out in support of the right for Jews to worship on the Temple Mount. His party, Blue and White, released a statement saying: “Blue and White support the freedom of worship for Jews on the Temple Mount.”
On the other hand, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is considered further to the right of Gantz recently stated that the Temple Mount should be closed for Jews on the Jewish Sabbath (Saturday) fearing backlash from Jordan. “On the eve of the election, it was suggested to me to take a step that would affect the entire Middle East. I would not set fire to the region to gain power,” Netanyahu said during a meeting of the right-wing parties.
According to a Supreme Court ruling, Jewish people are allowed to pray on the Temple Mount however the police override that law claiming that Jewish prayer on the holy site is a “security risk”.
Despite the ban, Jewish pilgrims do indeed pray silently on the Temple Mount on a daily basis.
Blue and White’s statement can be seen below.
