The Temple Mount in Jerusalem may be Judaism’s holiest site. But there is an Islamic complex there as well, so — as far as Muslims are concerned — any Jewish religious claim on the site doesn’t count.
That Muslims aim to keep it that way was in evidence on Wednesday when Jewish pilgrims to Har Habayit, as the site is called in Hebrew, were pelted with stones by Arabs determined to drive them off.
Arutz Sheva (Israel National News) reports that police were dispatched to the location on Wednesday to intervene on behalf of the visitors.
Security forces were prepared for a riot as this incident follows renewed incitement by Islamic Movement leader Sheikh Raed Salah, who called for Muslims to physically prevent Jews from visiting the Temple Mount last week.
Yesterday, the leader of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel was arrested on charges of ‘incitement against Israel and regarding the Temple Mount,’ and is currently being questioned by police.
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After warning of the alleged ‘danger’ of increased Jewish prayer at the site, Salah called on Muslims from across Israel — from the Negev and Galilee, Akko and Haifa — to descend on the Temple Mount to prevent the ‘dangerous mass invasion into Al Aqsa’ with their bodies.
In the past, such statements have led the Israeli Police to close off the Temple Mount to Jews, out of concern that Jewish presence at the holy site could be met with Muslim riots, which on Wednesday proved to be true.
Meantime, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who was attempting to broker peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians until other international crises intervened, may want to factor acts of Muslim supremacy such as this into his grand scheme.
