Muslims Cause Israel to Close Temple Mount Compound

For the second time in less than two weeks, the Palestinians have acted up over the Temple Mount Compound. Last time it was because some Jews went to pray there, this time over a simple rumor. Amazing how a rumor sets Muslims off.

Fresh clashes at Jerusalem shrine

Palestinians have clashed with Israeli police in Jerusalem after police closed a compound with sites sacred to Jews and Muslims, citing security concerns.

The protesters threw stones and bottles at the police, who responded with tear gas and stun grenades.

Several Palestinians are reported to have been detained, including a former minister, Hatem Abdulqader.

The Israeli police said they had closed the compound because Palestinians had planned a mass gathering there.

Palestinians say they are trying to protect the site, known to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif and to Jews as the Temple Mount, from Jewish hardliners, who they fear intend to desecrate it.

There were reports of three arrests, and several police and protesters were slightly injured.

Police closed off the sites after mosque loudspeakers in Jerusalem's Old City urged people to gather there, following rumours that Jewish settlers were to be allowed into the compound.

"We closed the access to the Temple Mount following incitations to violence," police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told AFP news agency.

The incident follows similar protests a week ago in which 30 people were injured.
Security has been boosted at the compound as Jews attend prayers for the seven-day Feast of Tabernacles at the Western Wall.

In the past the compound has been a flashpoint for Israel-Palestinian violence, notably after the visit of then Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon in 2000.

Link to Article

Israel:Muslims get Jews Banned From Their Most Holy Site

In the past Israel's New Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had made this statement about his fellow Jews and Temple Mount. "The right of the Jewish people to its holy place - the Temple Mount - cannot be questioned...I believe it is necessary to arrange for Jewish prayer on the site, especially given that we permit freedom of worship to all the religions in Jerusalem...". Well the PM has failed his first test as Jews were recently banned from praying at their most holy site just a day after Passover, all because Muslims do not want them there and made threats. In the mean time Muslims were still allowed to pray there. What makes this even more disturbing is that Passover is a holy day commemorating the Hebrews escape from enslavement in Egypt. It sure sounds like Israel has handled this backwards to me. The wrong people were banned.


Hat tip to David Ben Ariel.

Post-Passover: Arabs Threaten, Police Ban Jews from Temple Mt.
by Hillel Fendel

(IsraelNN.com) The police restricted the Temple Mount to Muslims – and then closed it completely to Jews, citing “security warnings.” Nationalist MKs protest.

“A surrender to terrorism” and “yet another blow to Jews' rights to worship freely in the Land of Israel.” With these and other words, MKs Uri Ariel and Aryeh Eldad of the National Union party attacked the police decision to close the Temple Mount to Jewish worshipers and visitors on Thursday, the day after the week-long Passover holiday.

The Temple Mount – the locale of the Holy Temples and the place where Abraham went to sacrifice his son Isaac in fulfillment of G-d’s command – is the most sacred site in the world for the Jewish People.

This past week saw much vibrant Jewish activity on the Mount, including the once-every-28-years Blessing of the Sun last Wednesday, and hundreds of visitors who ascended daily to the site ‘in purity” – i.e., after immersing in a ritual bath and following the other prescribed Jewish-legal precautions for visiting the holy site. In addition, on Tuesday, just before the beginning of the last day of the holiday, dozens of Jews prayed the afternoon service outside the Shalshelet Gate, just as they left the Mount.

Today (Thursday), many Chabad Lubavitch members planned to visit the holy site and hold a Hak’hel commemoration, in memory of the Biblical command to gather the entire nation at the Holy Temple following the Shemitta year.

Moslems Protest and Threaten, Jews Banned

However, these plans were nipped in the bud by a sudden decision by national and city police to ban Jews from entering the Temple Mount today. The reason: Intelligence warnings of a possible attack by Muslim terrorists. Prior to the decision, some 200 Islamic Movement extremists protested in the Old City of Jerusalem, complaining that “right-wing Jews” planned to take over the Temple Mount. A heavy police presence was on hand.

“I certainly understand the police’s concern for public safety,” MK Ariel said, “and I assume that the decision [to close the Mount to Jews] was made based on trustworthy information. Even so, the decision is a grave one, and represents a surrender to terrorism.”

“Instead of sending signals to the terrorists that we are afraid,” Ariel said, “and instead of preventing the citizens from waging their normal lives, the police and security forces should back up their citizens, pursue the terrorists, and give a strong message of determination and unwillingness to concede to terrorism.”

MK Ariel had a message for Public Security Minister Yitzchak Aharonovitch, of the hawkish Yisrael Beiteinu party: “Every time there is a warning or terrorist threat, the policy towards terrorists and their supporters must be made harsher.”

MK Eldad

MK Aryeh Eldad said the decision to close the Temple Mount to Jews is a “surrender to Muslims who wish, via threats of violence and terrorism, to prevent Jews from actualizing their rights on the Mount.”

Eldad said that when the Knesset’s summer session begins, “I will convene a meeting of all the Knesset Members who are loyal to the Temple Mount, to discuss the demands we will make of the government regarding freedom of worship at the holy site.”

Link to Article