Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter of the Olmert-led government of Israel has declared that all Jewish prayer, even the silent moving of lips, is illegal.
His stated reason is that Jewish prayer on the Temple Mout is akin to incitement to Moslem violence. The Olmert government and Israeli police took no action to stop the recent Hamas radio broadcasts from the Mount calling for death to Jews and the destruction of the state of Israel. The New Jewish Congress has issued the following response.