The first Caucus for Jewish Freedom on the Temple Mount was held Thursday morning in the Knesset in English. The event was co-chaired by Knesset members Dan Illouz (Likud) and MK Ariel Kellner (Likud). It was also attended by MK Amit Halevy (Likud), Limor Son Har-Melech (Otzma Yehudit), and Simcha Rotman (Religious Zionism).
The lobby was initiated by the “Beyadenu Returning to the Temple Mount” association, in collaboration with other organizations working for the Temple Mount, including Israel365, Cry for Zion, and others. For the first time, Jewish organizations participated in this kind of meeting, alongside Christians who want to promote sovereignty on the Temple Mount and the building of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem.
Tom Nisani, CEO of “Beyadenu Returning to the Temple Mount”, said:
“This is a very exciting event in the English language that connects Temple Mount seekers from different religions. I get inquiries from all over the world that ask, “Why is there no Temple yet?” This year, another record will be set for the number of Jews ascending to the Temple Mount. It is time for us to cooperate to change the situation on the Temple Mount that is biased against Jews. This must be the case until the Temple Mount is built. We’ve just begun! That’s our mission.”
Tom Nisani Beyadenu (Photo courtesy)
Rabbi Tuly Weisz, of Israel365, addressed the caucus.
“Wars are not usually named during the war, but only afterwards,” Rabbi Weisz said. “When Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated in June 1914, no one at the time said this was the beginning of WWI.
“According to Michael Oren, IDF Chief of Staff Yitzchak Rabin was given the honor of naming the 1967 war for the Israelis. From the suggestions proposed, including the War of Daring, War of Salvation, and War of the Sons of Light, he chose the least ostentatious, the Six-Day War, evoking the days of creation.
“When this war began, the government gave it a somewhat lame name: Swords of Iron. In December 2023, Netanyahu suggested changing the name, but the proposal did not gain traction.
“As we mark the 58th anniversary of the Six Day War and 600 days of this War, we don’t yet know what we will call this war one generation from now, but what we do know is what our enemies named their attack, well in advance. By paying attention to what our enemies are saying, we can discover something very important.
“Hamas calls this war the al-Aqsa flood. For Hamas, the objective of their October 7 attack was unambiguous: pushing the Jews out ‘from the river to the sea’, but specifically from the very site that gives us our legitimacy here. Their explicit goal was to ‘liberate Al Aqsa’ from the ‘infidel’ Jews.
“Early in the war, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a goal of ‘Total Victory’ against Hamas. Indeed, Israel is finally capturing territory in Gaza. However, our enemy’s name for this operation points to where true victory must be achieved: not in Gaza, but on the Temple Mount.
“In recent months, an anecdote spread about an IDF soldier returning from Gaza. When his relieved mother asked what he wanted to do first, he said he needed to buy a picture of the Beit Hamikdash (Temple) for his bedroom. Surprised, she asked if he wouldn’t prefer a shower or his favorite food. The soldier responded, ‘Eema, you don’t understand. In Gaza, every home, government office, and school displays a picture of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.’
“The seeds of our conflict with the Palestinians go back to the Six-Day War. Despite the total victory of the IDF highlighted by the unification of Jerusalem, to the jubilant cries of “Har Habayit Beyadenu!” (The Temple Mount is in our hands!)Israel capitulated and ceded sovereignty of its holiest site back to the aggressor.
“Israel is the only country to win a war and then lose the negotiations. Jordan has remained in control of the Temple Mount and has only increased its hostility in recent years. This war, however, is changing all that.
“Last summer, Jews started slowly and quietly praying there. Thanks to the work of this caucus and Beyadenu, we’re seeing major shifts taking place. As more Jews and Christians unite in support of prayer rights at the Temple Mount, and with the prospect of more substantial support for Israel with Trump’s return to office, the dream of true religious freedom at Judaism’s holiest site appears closer than ever to becoming reality.
“As we contemplate the lessons for the day after this war, we must remember that our enemies destroy, so we must build. They are trying to shrink us, so we must expand our impact and increase our ownership of the land. They bring destruction and darkness, so we must become an illuminating light unto the nations. All of those who believe in the Bible must respond by doubling down on our efforts to embrace Har Habayit, the Temple Mount.
“With God’s help, and with the leadership of MK Dan Ilouz and Israel’s Knesset, we pray that Israeli sovereignty will extend over our entire Biblical heartland of Judea & Samaria, starting from the heart of the heart: Har Habayit.
MK Dan Illouz also spoke, saying: “This is the first time that such a lobby has been held in English. The Temple Mount is where the Temples stood and where Jews pray every morning. Today, Jews are discriminated against on the Temple Mount, and that needs to change. Our enemies understand what is important, and it is not for nothing that they called the war the ‘Al-Aqsa Flood.’ We will not give up on the Mount. I thank everyone who organized and participated in this important event.”
John Enerson, Cry for Zion: “As a Christian, I want to say that the whole world is watching you. We support your sovereignty on the Temple Mount. If you want it, it is not a fairy tale! We are waiting for the Temple Mount to fulfill its destiny to be a house of prayer for all nations.”
John Enarson/Cry For Zion (Photo courtesy)
MK Amit Halevi said, “I’m honored to be here. I’m even excited. Jerusalem today is stronger than ever and more Jewish than ever, but the heart of Jerusalem – the Temple Mount – is still missing. We must demand that the presence of God and the Temple be restored to the Temple Mount. We need to demand from the American Congress the rights of the Jews on the Temple Mount.”
MK Limor Son Har-Melech: MK Limor played a recording of Captain Harel Sharvit H”YD who spoke about his friend’s merit to go up to the Temple Mount while he was fighting in Gaza. “Today the people of Israel understand more and more what the most important point is: the Temple Mount, even though there are those who are trying to cut it off”. “This is a very important conference. Things have changed for the better on the Temple Mount, but there are still problems and obstacles until the building of the Temple.”
MK Simcha Rotman: “Yesterday we passed a resolution in the Knesset for sovereignty in Judea and Samaria, by consensus. It’s very important, but it’s very lacking without the Temple Mount. It can’t be cut off. There is a great awakening of worshippers on the Temple Mount today. We have to continue.”
Nili Nehurai, Israel is Forever: “We have been fighting for years for Jewish freedom on the Temple Mount, we were arrested and expelled, but we always continued. There is no reason why Jews cannot pray on the Temple Mount or wave a flag. This is our time to act as the owners of the house. It is ours and ours alone!”
