Is one permitted to ascend the Temple Mount (Har Habayis)?
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Yes. Not a problem.
It is permitted to go onto the Temple Mount today because there are two strong uncertainties (a safek-sfeika) that make it halachically allowed.
Maybe there is no remaining sanctity on the Temple Mount until the Beit HaMikdash is rebuilt. While the many Tanaim, Amoraim, and Rishonim held that the sanctity remains forever, other Tanaim, Amoraim, and Rishonim held that it ended with the destruction, and there is no more Kedusha until we build another Bet Hamikdash.
Even if the sanctity does remain, it is not certain that the specific spot where we are walking at any given moment is part of the actual Mikdash area (the Azarah or Kodesh Hakadashim etc), which was the part with the strictest prohibitions. Many parts of the Temple Mount were never off-limits even to those who are impure. (Note: The current guestimates by various Rabbis today of where they think the Bet Hamikdash was situated, are not proven sufficiently to clarify this Safek.)
When you combine these two uncertainties, it creates a Safek-Safeka (double doubt), which means it is permitted.
I spoke to my father about this about ten years ago, and he confirmed that this reasoning is valid.