Prime Minister Bennett denies Israel agreed to increase in Muslim authority's presence on Temple Mount. 'No change on the Temple Mount.'

David Rosenberg10.05.22 11:13

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett pushed back Tuesday on reports that Israel has agreed to a Jordanian request expanding Muslim control over the Temple Mount.

In a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office Tuesday, Bennett denied that Israel had acceded to a Jordanian demand that Israel allow the Waqf – the Jordan-based Islamic trust which administers the Temple Mount – to assign an additional 50 personnel to the site.

"This is an event that took place about a month and a half ago. Indeed, about a month and a half ago, a Jordanian request was received to increase the Waqf presence on the Temple Mount by 50 guards but Israel did not find it appropriate to accede to the request,” Bennett said.

The Prime Minister added that the status quo on the Temple Mount remains intact, and emphasized that Israel will not permit foreign states to dictate policy on the holy site.

“In practice: Six Hamas-backed Waqf guards were removed from the Temple Mount, and 12 new Waqf positions were manned — all within the existing standards, without any increase.”