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Public Security Minister Avi Dichter. (Archives)
Last update - 11:22 03/01/2008
No moving Jewish lips in prayer on Temple Mount, says Dichter
By Nadav Shragai, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Jews, praying, Dichter 

A Jew is not allowed to pray in any overt manner whatsoever on the Temple Mount, even if he is just moving his lips in prayer, Public Security Minister Avi Dichter recently wrote MKs Uri Ariel and Aryeh Eldad (National Union-NRP).

In 1976, the Supreme Court ruled that it accepted the government's position that it was not opposed to individual Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount, providing that it was not of a demonstrative nature that could lead to public disorder. High Court rulings in recent years have also been seen to support individual, as opposed to group prayer on the Mount.

Ariel and Eldad recently decided to test the State's position on this issue. They informed the police that "they intended to manifest this right" [to non-demonstrative prayer] by first coordinating the best time and place to enter and exit the Temple Mount complex.
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The two MKs explained that all they intended to do was to pray, without informing the media of their plans, or wearing a talit or tefilin, or bringing a Torah scroll with them.

"It is not possible to arrest a person for 'conversing with his maker,'" Dichter replied, using the same terminology of the MKs' letter.

"However it is possible to carry out an arrest for expressions of outward and demonstrative signs [of prayer]."

This interpretation, Dichter continued, "is in line with the rationale that bans Jews from praying at the site, in light of serious concerns that this will serve as a provocation, resulting in disorder, with a near certain likelihood of subsequent bloodshed."

It was further explained to the two MKs that from the police's point of view, there is no substantive difference between the prayer of an individual and group prayer, since
the threat to public safety is the same. Such act would be considered "altering the status quo at the site."

Dichter stressed that the state's decision to ban Jewish prayer from the Temple Mount does not distinguish between an individual praying and that of a group, and that this has been the basis of the status quo since 1967.

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      1.   easy solution 03:16  |  ron 02/01/08
      2.   re #1 `easy solution` 03:28  |  Colin Wright 02/01/08
      3.   Reciprocity 03:29  |  Frank 02/01/08
      4.   Moslems can pray there but not Jews? Sounds like Apartheid to me! 03:48  |  Dr. L. Brnd 02/01/08
      5.   if I recall this too was a reason for the Hasmonean revolt in 03:52  |  Zeev 02/01/08
      6.   Jews praying on the Temple Mount 03:52  |  Marty E. 02/01/08
      7.   Avi Dichter And The Jew`s Love Of G-d And The Beit HaMikdash 04:12  |  Norman F Birnberg 02/01/08
      8.   Home Grown Anti-Semites 04:14  |  Norman F Birnberg 02/01/08
      9.   Can`t Even Pray As Jews 04:14  |  ralphsrant1 02/01/08
      10.   tell us you`re just joking! 04:37  |  MOSHE 02/01/08
      11.   injustice-remove the mass-murderers from Judea 04:39  |  Kirwood Derby 02/01/08
      12.   This is nuts - its that simple 04:46  |  Dr David I. Gross 02/01/08
      13.   New temple 04:49  |  Glen 02/01/08
      14.   response to ron #1 04:58  |  Fred Bainhauer 02/01/08
      15.   The Jewish State....? NO JEWISH PRAYER ALLOWED! 05:06  |  amir 02/01/08
      16.   Close Mosque at Tomb of Patriarchs 05:13  |  Harold 02/01/08
      17.   Great Idea 05:17  |  Riad 02/01/08
      18.   Ban Muslims from praying there too, not just Jews 05:22  |  David 02/01/08
      19.   I DO PRAY REGULARLY... 05:24  |  Miriam Ashkelon 02/01/08
      20.   #6 05:39  |  donnie 02/01/08
      21.   Temple prayer 05:41  |  Ron 02/01/08
      22.   Avi Dichter is not really against Jewish prayer at TM 05:51  |  avigdor 02/01/08
      23.   This only emboldens extremists 05:57  |  Gili 02/01/08
      24.   Respect 06:09  |  ze`ev 02/01/08
      25.   Dr. Gross is RIGHT ON THE MONEY! #2 06:12  |  Webster 02/01/08
      26.   In the end, East Jerusalem will go to the Palestinians 06:16  |  Natallie Durson 02/01/08
      27.   What???? 06:18  |  Rammi 02/01/08
      28.   Wow! If Jews lips moving at the Temple Mount is "provacation"... 06:24  |  Virginia 02/01/08
      29.   When in Rome 06:30  |  Fred Locke 02/01/08
      30.   Jews Breathing is a Provocation 06:31  |  Straight Talk 02/01/08
      31.   Torah-true Jews avoid the Temple Mount 06:44  |  Douglas Evans 02/01/08
      32.   Temple Mount 06:52  |  Danny 02/01/08
      33.   #11 That will never happen 06:58  |  Sam Weinstein 02/01/08
      34.   the Arabs who use Temple Mount should pay an entry fee that 07:19  |  avigdor 02/01/08
      35.   So Jews are dhimmis after all 07:56  |  William 02/01/08
      36.   No Difference Between the Judicial and Political Gangs in Israel. 07:56  |  Joseph E . 02/01/08
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      39.   Nastalie Durson 08:10  |  Connie 02/01/08
      40.   Glen 08:14  |  Connie 02/01/08
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      42.   everyone assume your position as dhimmi 08:50  |  matt 02/01/08
      43.   Christianity is 2000 yrs old, Islam 1400, Jews 3200 yrs old!!!!!! 08:50  |  Tim 02/01/08
      44.   Virginia 08:54  |  Rammi 02/01/08
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      47.   Num 33:55 09:14  |  Joseph E . 02/01/08
      48.   Re: New temple 09:27  |  Andy 02/01/08
      49.   "conversing with his maker"??? 09:31  |  eric 02/01/08
      50.   What kind of retards run Israel? No Jewish prayer in TMount? 09:34  |  Steve Randolph 02/01/08
      51.   I am very happy to see another opportunity to sign with..... 09:37  |  Swiss (Dino) 02/01/08
      52.   #7 amir: different rules for different folks 09:38  |  Jim 02/01/08
      53.   Would the Left accept the same logic applied to Reform at Wall 09:44  |  Shlomo T 02/01/08
      54.   # Dr. David Gross 09:48  |  Jim 02/01/08
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      56.   # 33 eric 09:58  |  Jim 02/01/08
      57.   If Jews are assaulted at Mount, then place restrictions on Arabs 10:00  |  M 02/01/08
      58.   #50 Steve Randolph 10:23  |  Jim 02/01/08
      59.   Enough!!! 10:26  |  Vectrasauris 02/01/08
      60.   eric and special pleading 10:30  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 02/01/08
      61.   Jim 10:33  |  Iz Ray Leigh 02/01/08
      62.   Jim what does the KKK wear under its bedsheet? 10:36  |  Iz Ray Leigh 02/01/08
      63.   Dichter Incorrect Deeply Offend People & Religious Groups 10:42  |  Joseph E . 02/01/08
      64.   REPLY # 47 Joseph E 10:43  |  SJ 02/01/08
      65.   just stop praying 10:44  |  Ralph is back 02/01/08
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      67.   The Real Intentions Are Not Silent Ones 10:45  |  Yaakov Sullivan 02/01/08
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      69.   Little correction to my # 51 (2nd try) 10:47  |  Swiss (Dino) 02/01/08
      70.   #57 M 10:55  |  Jim 02/01/08
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      75.   eric #49 HAARETZ: YOU SHOULD PUBLISH THIS WONDERFUL ANSWER! 11:32  |  S 02/01/08
      76.   We have reached the depths of absurdity 11:44  |  Shalom Freedman 02/01/08
      77.   Avi Dichter 11:47  |  Jacob 02/01/08
      78.   What does where you pray have anything to do with G-d hearing? 12:13  |  d.dor 02/01/08
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