Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef Rules Out Support for Otzma Yehudit Over Temple Mount Visits
Published
Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, Israel's former Sephardic chief rabbi and a senior Shas religious leader, published a letter warning against voting for parties whose leaders visit the Temple Mount and encourage others to do so. The warning was directed at Otzma Yehudit, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. Yosef said such visits risk violating a serious prohibition under Jewish law by entering forbidden areas of the site. His opposition to these visits predates the letter; the new appeal applies that position to electoral support ahead of Israel's approaching election.