(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Advisor)
 
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the following statement regarding the Temple Mount (Saturday night, 24 Oct 2015):
 
"Recognizing the importance of the Temple Mount to peoples of all three monotheistic faiths - Jews, Muslims and Christians: Israel re-affirms its commitment to upholding unchanged the status quo of the Temple Mount, in word and in practice.
 
As we have said many times, Israel has no intention to divide the Temple Mount, and we completely reject any attempt to suggest otherwise.
 
We respect the importance of the special role of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, as reflected in the 1994 peace treaty between Jordan and Israel, and the historical role of King Abdullah II.
 
Israel will continue to enforce its longstanding policy: Muslims pray on the Temple Mount; non-Muslims visit the Temple Mount.
 
Israel believes that those who visit or worship on the Temple Mount must be allowed to do so in peace, free from violence, from threats, from intimidation and from provocations. We will continue to ensure access to the Temple Mount for peaceful worshippers and visitors, while maintaining public order and security.
 
We welcome increased coordination between the Israeli authorities and the Jordanian Waqf, including to ensure that visitors and worshippers demonstrate restraint and respect for the sanctity of the area, and all this in accordance with the respective responsibilities of the Israelis authorities and the Jordanian Waqf.
 
We support the call for the immediate restoration of calm, and for all the appropriate steps to be taken to ensure that violence ceases, that provocative actions are avoided, and that the situation returns to normalcy in a way that promotes the prospects for peace.
 
We look forward to working cooperatively to lower tensions, stop incitement and discourage violence."