Temple Mount closed to non-Muslims/Jews for the rest of Ramadan

Behold, I will make Yerushalayim a bowl of reeling for the peoples all around. Yehuda shall be caught up in the siege upon Yerushalayim.

Zechariah

12:

2

(the israel bible)

April 20, 2022

3 min read

Thursday will be the last day non-Muslims can visit the Temple Mount until Ramadan ends at sundown on Sunday, May 1. Since non-Muslims are not permitted at the site after sundown, the prohibition is expected to be lifted on the following day. 

Though this prohibition has been enacted in the past, coming during a nationwide wave of terror and mass rioting by Palestinians on the Temple Mount, the move is seen as an act of capitulation by the government led by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. 

On Friday, when Jews are banned from the site, Arabs attacked police with rocks and fireworks. 

This week is the eight-day holiday of Passover, when the Bible commands the Jews to ascend to Jerusalem. 

Elishama Sandman, chairman of the Yeraeh organization, told Israel365 News that more than 3,000 Jews had visited the site since the intermediary days of the holiday began on Sunday.

“People understood that they will not be allowed to come for almost two weeks, so the turnout was impressive, far more than usual,” Sandman said. “This is even more impressive when you consider that the hours have been even more limited than usual, limited to three hours a day. The police have to spend the first half-hour, sometimes, even more, clearing the way due to the Palestinian violence.”

MK Itamar Ben-Gvir reacted to the reports on Twitter, stating, “If the news of the Temple Mount closure is true, (Prime Minister Naftali) Bennett raised a white flag tonight. He surrendered to terrorism, surrendered to Hamas, surrendered to the enemies.”

Temple Mount activist Tom Nisani from Beyadenu told Jewish Press that he was informed that during the closure to Jews, Israeli police would also vacate the Temple Mount. 

Last year, former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the site closed to non-Muslims for 19 days during Ramadan. He went so far as to prohibit Jews from ascending the Temple Mount on Jerusalem Day, a national holiday celebrating Israel’s conquering of its holiest site in 1967. Despite this act of appeasement, massive riots broke out on the site one month later, accompanied by riots in Arab-Jewish cities and over 3,400 rockets from Gaza. 

“Bennett is doing exactly what Bibi did, capitulating to terror,” Sandman said. “And we saw what happened. There is no reason to believe that anything different will come out of the same action this year.”

Sandman noted a positive note in the situation.

“The Kotel (Western Wall) is relatively empty,” he said. “This was even true during the Birkat HaKohanim (Priestly blessing), usually attended by tens of thousands, if not more. Very few attended on Monday. The only place you see Jews coming in droves is to the Temple Mount. This is a sign the nation wants to return to its holiest site.”

Visitors to the Temple Mount are not allowed to bring food and drink during the Ramadan fast. But the Arabs have scattered chametz [levened bread, prohibited during the eight days of Passover] on the Jews’ walking trail. The Arabs have spread sharp objects, including pins and broken glass, along the path. Jews are prohibited by Torah law from wearing leather shoes on the Temple Mount, and many devout Jews choose to visit the site barefoot. 

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As the Arabs rioted on the Temple Mount, they also worked to create physical barriers to prevent Jews from visiting their holiest site. Despite these actions by the Arabs, the police prohibit Jews from straying from the set route, limiting Jewish visitors to groups of 30, with each group permitted 20 minutes to complete the circuit of the compound. Some groups were only allowed to walk a partial route. The barriers were created using stones that were remnants of the Jewish Temples, damaging the stones in the process. 

Asaf Fried noted that despite the precedent, the Israeli government has not always folded in the face of Arab violence.

“Israeli law mandates equality of religion, so in theory, the police are required to ensure that Jews are treated equally at the site,” Fried said. “Preventing another person from praying at the Temple Mount is illegal, and the Arab groups that did so, the Morabiton and Morabitat, were outlawed. In the past, the police have protected Jewish rights. But it depends on the government and not the police. This decision was made a few days ago without announcing it to the public, and apparently, the government did not even consult with the police.”

It is known that the King of Jordan, who has custodianship over the site, has been in contact with the Biden state department. In addition, the Arab parties in Bennett’s coalition, which no longer has a majority, have threatened to break with the coalition and bring down the government. 

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