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Vol. 14, Iss. 30
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Record Number of Jews Visit Temple Mount on Tisha B’Av in Aftermath of Arab Rioting
More than 1300 Jews braved a searing heat wave to visit the Temple Mount on Tisha B’av, while thousands more sat on the floor – a traditional Jewish sign of mourning – at the Western Wall Plaza to commemorate the destruction of ancient Jerusalem by the Roman Empire in the year 70 CE.
By: Andrew Friedman
M
ore than 1300 Jews braved a searing heat wave to visit the Temple Mount on Tisha B’av, while thousands more sat on the floor – a traditional Jewish sign of mourning – at the Western Wall Plaza to commemorate the destruction of ancient Jerusalem by the Roman Empire in the year 70 CE. One person, a 15-year-old boy, was lightly wounded when a Muslim worshipper threw a chair at him. He was given first aid by security officials and did not require further treatment. The man was not arrested. In addition, six people were ejected for violating the rules. Police arrested three Jews shortly after they left
the Temple Mount in Jerusalem on Tuesday, after the three had allegedly clashed with a group of Arabs who they claim attacked them near the exit of the holy site.
Entering the ramp leading to the Mount, Jewish visitors passed through metal detectors and thorough security checks to ensure no forbidden items, including prayer books, religious items and Israeli flags, made it up to the Mount. During the arrest, officers used stun-guns to neutralize one of the
three Jews being taken into custody. As footage of the incident shows, after the three had already been pulled to the ground, an arresting officer used a stun-gun to neutralize one of the arrestees. The Honenu legal-help organization has provided an attorney to assist the arrestees during police questioning. A Honenu spokesperson, condemned the behavior of the officers involved in the incident, and demanded the officer who used his stun-gun be removed from active duty. “On Tisha B’Av, the day that Israel mourns the destruction [of the Temple], Jewish rights are being abused in the streets of Jerusalem. An officer tased an arrestee who was lying on the ground for absolutely no reason.
We demand the officer be removed immediately, and we intend to use every possible means [to see the officer removed].” Throughout the morning, hundreds of people stood in line adjacent to the Mughrabi Gate, the only entrance to the Temple Mount for non-Muslims, to visit the site. Entering the ramp leading to the Mount, Jewish visitors passed through metal detectors and thorough security checks to ensure no forbidden items, including prayer books, religious items and Israeli flags, made it up to the Mount. On the ramp leading up to the gate, officers briefed visitors on visitation rules, including prohibitions on praying and bowing down. Jewish visitors were also required to
leave identification at the checkpoint. To accommodate the large number of Jewish visitors, police allowed large groups to enter the site, a practice they usually frowned upon, and eventually limited the visitors’ presence on the Mount to an abbreviated route. The event, the largest visit by Jews to the Temple Mount in years, comes on the heels of weeks of tension surrounding the holy site. On July 14, three Israeli-Arabs exited the Mount at Lions Gate and killed two policemen, leading Israel to place metal detectors and security cameras at the site. But Jordanian-funded Islamic officials (Waqf) charged with overseeing
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