Israeli appeal court quashes ruling on Jewish prayer at al-Aqsa compound

Right to freedom of Jewish worship at holy shrine 'not absolute, and should be superseded by other interests, among them the safeguarding of public order,' judge says in ruling
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An Israeli appeal court overturned on Wednesday a ruling by a lower magistrate who had stirred Palestinian anger by questioning the legality of barring Jewish prayer at a contested Jerusalem shrine.
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  • Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, which Jews revere as a vestige of their two ancient temples, is at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Under a decades-old "status quo" arrangement with Muslim authorities, Israel allows Jews to visit only if they refrain from religious rites.
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    מתפללים בהר הבית לרגל איד אל פיטר
    מתפללים בהר הבית לרגל איד אל פיטר
    The Temple Mount
    Three Jewish youths who received a restraining order after praying at the site successfully challenged the police decision at Jerusalem Magistrates Court, which ruled on Sunday that their actions had not constituted a breach of the peace.
    That prompted protests from the Palestinian leadership, threats from Palestinian militants and a pledge from Israel that the status quo would be preserved.
    The state filed a counter-appeal on Wednesday with Jerusalem District Court, which found in favor after nightfall.
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    דוברות המשטרה
    דוברות המשטרה
    Jewish visitors on the Temple Mount
    (Photo: Motti Kimchi)
    "The special sensitivity of the Temple Mount cannot be overstated," Judge Einat Avman-Moller said in her ruling, using the Hebrew name for a site Muslims know as the Noble Sanctuary.
    A right to freedom of Jewish worship there "is not absolute, and should be superseded by other interests, among them the safeguarding of public order," she said.
    In a statement before Wednesday's ruling, Nati Rom, a lawyer for the defendants, said: "It is strange and regrettable that, in the 21st century, in a Jewish and democratic country, the basic human rights of Jews would be so harmed."
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    מצעד הדגלים בירושלים יוצא לדרך
    מצעד הדגלים בירושלים יוצא לדרך
    Flag march
    (Photo: EPA)
    With Jewish visits increasing in number, including over the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan that coincided this year with the Jewish Passover festival, Palestinians have cried foul.
    Jordan, a U.S.-backed Israeli security partner that serves as custodian of al-Aqsa, has also voiced concern.
    Tensions have been further stoked by a flag march due to be held by nationalist Jews in Jerusalem's Old City on Sunday, marking its capture by Israel from Jordan in the 1967 Six-Day War. The annual event is resented by Palestinians, who want the Old City and other parts of East Jerusalem as capital of their hoped-for future state.
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    חסן נסראללה
    חסן נסראללה
    Hassan Nasrallah
    "Our biggest fear is that the marchers will enter the al-Aqsa Mosque compound and harm it," said Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah during a speech on Lebanon's Liberation Day.
    "I want to tell the Israeli government and everyone involved – any harm to al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock will lead to a major explosion in the region. This is a provocation against all Arab and Muslim peoples."
    Other Arab and Muslim elements have also expressed similar concerns regarding Israel's decision to allow the flag day march to pass through the Muslim Quarter, as well as through the volatile Damascus Gate area.
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    5.
    it is not over thousands years!) only JEWS are that time!
    it is not over thousands years!) to be precise: our last temple was destroyed there by the romans extremists (they used to live in the place which is nowadays Italy) in year 69 CE. Our temples were there for a total time of more than 800 years i.e. almost a thousand year before destruction in 69 CE. Islam as a religion was created only the 5th century CE, that means five hundreds year after the destruction of our temple by the roman extremists. from that time 5th century until the 16th century, the temple mount and Jerusalem was a place of numerous fighting by all sort of conquerors to it, the cruzades, the Greeks, the Assyrians etc etc until in the 16th century, that means one thousand and six hundred years after the destruction of our temple, ottoman extremists came in an built the mosques for the Muslims. the Jews were exiled to all cornes of the world after the destruction of our temple, but a small number was always there, and they saw the many conquerors into our land after that. before the ottomans, there were there the crusaders in the 12th century, and they could have built something like that too. The romans or Greeks also could have done so, as well the confusis, the Hindus, the bouddhistes ,Babilonias who destroyed our first temple etc. more than on thousands years lived there only the jews after ADONNAY killed all the Cananans and handed over the land to us the Jews! it is needs to be said, there is a reason why other didn't build a house of worshiping there, because Jews alerted them, that the place remained in impurity, until a new temple would be built by ADONNAY for the Jews. That is when a red calf can be sacrificed and people purified, then prayers would again be accepted on the temple mount. So everyone who prayers may be to some idols, but if it is to ADoNNAY they are not accepted there.Assuming that Muslims are true when they insist theirs is our ADONNAY, then they are wasting time praying there, their prayers will only be accepted when they pray in Mekka. Just as much as our prayers as Jews are only accepted when we pray from the Western Wall! Ask Jews before doing things in Jerusalem! Romans, Babylonians, Buddhists, Christians, asked, and they did not built a house of worshiping there...Muslims didn't,...and that is the problems! Ask the owners of the land the JEWS before doing things in Jerusalem, then you will have peace of mind and spirit!
    dan | 05.29.22
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    4.
    a joint site
    I think it is about time that Muslims recognize the "Temple Mount" and other places as joint sites in spite of the fact that Muslims controlled this site and others for over a thousand years. I had no interest in praying on the Temple platform. But at one time visiting it and exploring all of it except Al Aqsa Mosque itself was possible without starting violent confrontation.
    Maurice M Margulies| 05.29.22
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    3.
    Just to ascertain the truth that a 3rd will be there
    In principle, all the Jews know that in a state of impurity in which we are all, ever since the destruction of our Beith Amikdasz more than 2000 years, Jews are not permitted to pray on the Temple mount. Therefore the possibility that these prayers will be heard there more than at the Western Wall are very minimal. Most surely than our ADONAY will just wait for the person to go down to the Western Wall and accept his prayer when he pronounces his prayer from there. By the way, the same would apply to any other person who wishes to pray there, it means that muslins that go there and pray there, their prayers are not accepted, ADONAY waits that they go to MEKA, before these prayers are accepted. This is assuming that thier assertion that their god is our ADONAY. So praying there has the symbolic importance of making sure no one forgets that the temple mount is our, and that the day will come when ADONAY will build the third temple for the Jews.
    Ben Yehuda| 05.26.22
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