56% of Israeli Jews support prohibition of Jews praying in Al-Aqsa

Some 56 per cent of Israeli Jews have said that they support the continuation of the current policy prohibiting Jews from praying in Al-Aqsa Mosque, while 38 per cent said that this policy must be cancelled, even if it leads to bloodshed.

The remaining six per cent had no definite opinion.

The survey, conducted by the Israel Democracy Institute at Tel Aviv University, showed that 47 per cent of Israeli Jews support the ruling of the majority of haredi and national-religious rabbis regarding the prohibition of entering Al-Aqsa Mosque until the Messiah emerges and the Temple is rebuilt.

Meanwhile, 96 per cent of ultra-Orthodox Jews are opposed to changing the decisions made by rabbis to prohibit Jews from praying in the mosque.

A minority of only 31 per cent believe there is a chance that an agreement can be reached that would allow Muslims and Jews to pray together in Al-Aqsa.

According to the Israel Democracy Institute, the survey was conducted by telephone between November 3 and 5 with a total of 603 respondents all over the age of 18.