Jeremy Gimpel
Photo: Shaul Golan
Dome of the Rock
Photo: Ziv Reinstein
Hatnua: Habayit Hayehudi preaches sedition
Center party files Election Committee petition to disqualify Jeremy Gimpel, Bennett's No. 14, after he allegedly made comments supporting destruction of Jerusalem's Dome of the Rock
With only two days left to the general elections, Hatnua has petitioned to the Central Election Committee to disqualify one of Habayit Hayehudi's candidates over alleged incitement to violence.
According to Hatnua, Habayit Hayehudi's Jeremy Gimpel, who is slated in 14th place, publically discussed the destruction of the Dome of the Rock and its replacement with a new Temple, during a recent lecture he gave in Florida.
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Jerusalem's Dome of the Rock is one of Islam's holiest places.
A video of the lecture was aired on Channel 2 on Friday. Gimpel is heard asking those attending the lecture to imagine a scenario in which the Dome of the Rock "was bombed" to make room for a new Temple.
"Could you imagine if that happened?" He was heard saying on the video. "No one would stay (in the US) – everyone would go to Israel."
Hatnua's petition said that Gimpel's speech constituted sedition and incitement and that he must therefore be disqualified.
"The mask has been ripped off Naftali Bennett's face. The delusional, lunatic list he seeks to bring into the Knesset is threatening to ignite the Middle East and bring about a third world war," MK Yoel Hasson said.
Habayit Hayehudi issued a statement lamenting the petition, saying that "It is a shame that Yoel Hasson is using lies about a statement made during a bible class to try and stop (Tzipi) Livni's slide in the polls.
"If anything is 'lunatic' it is Livni's call to divide Jerusalem and create a Palestinian state."
Moran Azulay is a Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth correspondent
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