Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday dismissed criticism by United Right members Ayelet Shaked and Bezalel Smotrich, over government policies with respect to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, saying that he was "not impressed [by] the Twitter cabinet."
Sunday marked Tisha B'Av, the Jewish fast marking the mourning over the destruction of the two temples. This year, it coincided with the Mulsim holiday of Eid al-Adha.
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Temple Mount is a known flashpoint in Jerusalem and the Israel Police often restricts Jewish worshippers' access to the site for security reasons, as it did on Sunday. While the Jerusalem District Police initially prevented Jews from entering the holy site, it lifted the restriction by noon on Sunday, and some 1,730 Jews entered the Temple Mount to pray.
The move sparked riots as hundreds of Palestinians clashed with Israeli security forces in the compound.
Israel's decision to allow Jewish worshippers into the holy site was slammed by Jordan, which acts as custodian of the holy Muslim sites in Jerusalem, as well as by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Iran, all of which decried Israel's "violating the sanctity of Al-Aqsa."
Smotrich leveled harsh criticism at Netanyahu for allowing the police to prevent Jewish worshippers from entering the site.
"Closing the Temple Mount to Jews on Tisha B'Av is a disgraceful and shameful act that reminds us of why we are fasting today," he tweeted. "The decision to capitulate to terrorism and Arab violence in Judaism's holiest place is why Israel is losing its deterrence in other sectors as well."
Shaked joined the criticism, saying, "He who controls the mountain, controls the land. On this day, a sovereign government should allow its citizens to enter the Temple Mount."
Netanyahu dismissed the criticism, saying he had always intended to allow Jewish worshippers to enter the Temple Mount compound on Tisha B'Av.
"On Thursday, after consulting with all security services, I made the decision – just like every year – that Jews will enter the Temple Mount on Tisha B'Av even if that coincides with a Muslim holiday," Netanyahu said in a video released by the Prime Minister's Office.
"The question was never if they will enter, but only how to manage it in a manner that best serves public safety, which is exactly what we did."
He then fired back at the United Right, saying, "I am not impressed by the recommendations of the Twitter cabinet. Leadership doesn't come from tweeting. Leadership is responsibility and determination."
Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan commended the actions of the Israel Police on Sunday.
Slamming the criticism from some on the Right, he said, "People who've never visited the Temple Mount released statements that incited the situation," and warned that "ignorant" politicians were trying to create media spins that served their interests ahead of the Sept. 17 elections.
Erdan added that the current government had changed the 52-year status quo on the Temple Mount, whereas only Muslims could pray there. Sunday's figure of 1,730 Jews who entered the holy site represents an increase of 17% from last year.
