Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.) introduced a House resolution on Tuesday affirming Israel’s full sovereignty over the Temple Mount—Har HaBayis—and demanding true religious equality for Jews, Christians, and Muslims at the holiest site in Judaism.

The measure, which underscores that Jerusalem is the “undivided capital of Israel”, pushes back against what Tenney called “repeated international efforts to downplay Jewish ties to Jerusalem and restrict Jewish access to the Mount.”

“The resolution recognizes the Temple Mount as the holiest site in Judaism and a revered place for all three Abrahamic faiths,” Tenney said in a statement. “It reaffirms that Jerusalem is the undivided capital of Israel and calls for the protection of the right of all people to worship freely and peacefully.”

Tenney’s resolution points to the 3,000-year unbroken bond between the Jewish people and the Land of Israel, citing archaeological and historical evidence as proof of that connection. The congresswoman also drew attention to what she described as ongoing inequities in access at the sacred site.

“Currently, Muslims can enter through 11 gates, while non-Muslims are limited to one gate with restricted hours and prohibitions on prayer,” she said. “These double standards are unacceptable. My resolution reaffirms Israel’s sovereign right to protect its sacred sites and calls for true religious equality for all who worship there.”

The Temple Mount—where the Beis Hamikdash once stood and where the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque now sit—remains the most sensitive religious flashpoint in the world. Under the current “status quo,” Israel maintains security control while the Jordanian Waqf oversees daily administration. Jewish visitors are allowed only limited entry and are forbidden to pray openly at the site.

“For too long, the international community has denied the Jewish people’s historic and spiritual connection to Har HaBayis,” Tenney said. “The United States must stand with Israel against these falsehoods and defend the right of all people to worship freely in the holy city.”

It must be noted that according to all contemporary gedolei poskim – and all from previous generations – have paskened unequivocally that it is assur gammur to go on the Har Habayis, never mind daven there.

Tenney’s measure is backed by several prominent pro-Israel and Jewish organizations, including the Endowment for Middle East Truth (EMET), the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), and the Israel Heritage Foundation.

Sarah Stern, president of EMET, praised the resolution as “a necessary correction to decades of diplomatic double-speak that ignored Jewish history.” Mort Klein, president of ZOA, called Tenney “a true friend of Israel and the Jewish people.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)