About 1,500 Jews visited the Temple Mount on Tuesday, as part of their commemoration of the fast of Tisha B'Av, and dozens of them were recorded praying and bowing in a violation of the status quo of the holy site. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who is responsible for the enforcement of these rules, was also seen on Temple Mount. The police detained 11 worshipers.
Ben-Gvir arrived at the Temple Mount on Tuesday morning together with the Development of the Periphery, the Negev and the Galilee Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf. Just last week, on August 5, the police responded to an inquiry on the subject and stated that "the rules in the Temple Mount have not been changed."
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Ben-Gvir visits Temple Mount; some worshippers prostrate themselves while in prayer at the site, a violation of the status quo
(Photo: Arnon Segal)
Ben-Gvir referred to the incident where worshipers bowed on the Temple Mount against the holy site's rules, saying, "Our policy is to allow prayer." According to him, "We come on Tisha B'Av to commemorate the destruction of the Temple. We must say honestly there is great progress here in exercising our sovereignty." He added: "We must win this war, and not go to conferences in Doha or Cairo, but defeat them, bring them to their knees. This is the message. We can defeat Hamas."
At first, Jewish worshipers entered in groups of a hundred at a time but quickly deviated from the status quo concerning the prayer guidelines. Shortly after, only groups of 50 were allowed to enter at a time. Joining Ben-Gvir, Knesset member Amit Halevi from the Likud Party also wished to join the worshipers but was instructed to enter alone.
The Jordanian Foreign Ministry published an official condemnation for the mass visit of Jewish worshipers including ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Yitzhak Wasserlauf to the Temple Mount, along with hundreds of other worshipers. According to the statemen, "the assault of two extremist ministers from the Israeli government on the Temple Mount, under the auspices of the police, is a blatant violation of international law, the historical and legal situation in Jerusalem and the holy places."
The chairman of the ultra-Orthodox Degel HaTorah Party, lawmaker Moshe Gafni, commented on Ben-Gvir's visit to the Temple Mount saying that "the damage to the sanctity of the Temple Mount and the status quo is not of interest to the minister, who goes against the great men of Israel and the chief rabbis throughout the generations." According to him, "The damage he is causing to the Jewish people is unbearably great, and this adds to the hatred on the day of the destruction of the Temple. We will have to check with our rabbis if we can be partners with him in the government, and we will make this clear to the prime minister as well."
Tisha B'Av marks the destruction of both Holy Temples, which stood on the Temple Mount. Many haredim believe that Jews should not enter the site so that they do not enter the areas of great holiness.
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PMO contradicts Ben-Gvir's statements on Temple Mount
(Photo: Naama Grinbaum / Haaretz)
Police's response to the Temple Mount visits
Assaf Fried from the Temple Mount administration said that "1,500 Jews went up to the Temple Mount in an hour and a half. The Temple Mount is quiet and peaceful, we did not see the Waqf here, Jews went up to the Temple Mount freely. The Temple Mount is in an amazing condition like we haven't seen in many, many years. Thank you to everyone who worked for this event, to the police, the district commander, the national security minister, and his wife."
Jacob Heiman, chairman of the Beyadenu organization, which advocates 'Jewish sovereignty' on the Temple Mount said: "Historical sights on the Temple Mount. Jews bowing, singing and praying without interruption. It is exciting to see Jews praying, singing and bowing on Tisha B'Av on the Temple Mount. Those who wanted to see the 'Al-Aqsa flood' received over 40,000 Jews this year who are strengthening Jewish sovereignty on the Temple Mount."
Jews near Temple Mount
(Video: Or Nehemia)
Last month, Ben-Gvir stated in the Knesset that "I am the political echelon, and the political echelon permits Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount," completely disregarding the status quo during the "Return of Israel to the Temple Mount" conference in the Knesset. "I was on the Temple Mount last week. I prayed on the Temple Mount and we pray on the Temple Mount," he added. In June, Ben-Gvir proudly reported his violation of the status quo on the Temple Mount and the Prime Minister's Office was quick to contradict his words.
Meanwhile, seven Jewish men were arrested early on Tuesday in the Old City of Jerusalem on suspicion of attacking two Arab bystanders in the street. The suspects who attacked the couple are ages 15 to 20 and most of them are residents of the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council in the West Bank. They were taken for questioning by the Jerusalem Police District, which will request to extend their detention.
The arrests followed an incident in which about a hundred boys and young men identifying themselves as the "Youth of Jewish Truth" clashed with Arabs in the Old City of Jerusalem on Monday and vandalized property, after they had finished praying at the gates of the Temple Mount on the eve of Tisha B'Av and its traditional prayer at the Western Wall. During the clashes, the Jewish assailants sprayed pepper spray in the Arabs' faces from point-blank range, and the Border Police cleared the riot with batons and tear gas.
"As part of the police's extensive preparation on Monday and Tuesday to maintain security and order, the officers noticed what was happening, and the police forces of the Jerusalem District and the Border Police soldiers quickly arrived at the scene and pushed back the rioters, stopped the attack and arrested seven suspects for questioning," the police said. "According to the authorities, "the police investigation continues with the aim of bringing those involved to justice."