The Temple Mount refers to a flat plaza situated above the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, and it is considered a holy site in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam alike.
According to Jewish teachings, Temple Mount, known in Hebrew as Har Habayit, is the site where Abraham took his son Isaac to be sacrificed and is the location of both ancient Jewish Temples. The location is the holiest site in Judaism, and Jews turn to face it while praying.
In Islam, the Temple Mount, or al-Haram-al-Sharif, is believed to be the site of one of three Sacred Mosques and the location of the Prophet Muhammed's journey to Jerusalem, one of the most celebrated events in the Islamic calendar. Among Sunni Muslims, it is considered to be the third holiest site in Islam. the al-Aqsa compound is located on the plaza.
Temple Mount is considered to be one of the most contested religious sites in the world, due to conflicting religious claims to it. While Jewish people and other non-Muslims are allowed to visit the site, Jewish prayer is forbidden, a fact which has caused ongoing tensions between the religious groups.
The Jerusalem Islamic Wakf oversees the day-to-day administration of the Temple Mount, which they have done since Israel handed over control after the 1967 Six Day War, although Israeli security forces maintain a presence on location and control the entry points.
The site has been the focus of intense clashes between Israeli and Palestinian visitors in the past, and it has been closed for entry during increased periods of tension, and in May 2021, the conflict reached new heights when Israel Police clashed with Palestinian rioters on Temple Mount, even entering al-Aqsa Mosque and firing tear gas inside the building.
Aggression has only exacerbated the problem for all parties.
Prof. Yitzhak Reiter explains the government's irresponsible policy, Ben-Gvir's provocations to aid Hamas, the need to represent all Israelis, and demand caution from police in Temple Mount matters.
Netanyahu’s wise choice to allow Israeli Arabs entry to Temple Mount during Ramadan, rejecting Ben-Gvir’s stance, signals a return to much-needed sanity amid volatile times.
"Hamas is trying to present our war as a war against Muslims. This is a lie. Our war is against murderers of children who distort Islam to justify their barbarism," Katz explained.
Police and the Shin Bet uncovered a Hamas-linked terrorist group in Sakhnin, issuing charges against 13 suspects.
Warns that even after ‘incredible efforts of the police, there are significant gaps in the ability to implement the prime minister’s decision without endangering human life’
It is equally true that Ramadan frequently has been celebrated with an orgy of Muslim, especially Palestinian, violence. Ramadan is exploited as an excuse for ramped-up holy war against Israel.
Arieh Amit, a former high-ranking police officer, discussed how the Israel Police can manage the issue of Ramadan and the Temple Mount, highlighting concerns over Minister Ben-Gvir's conduct.
Jerusalem, declared Sir Mark Sykes, is “inflammable ground” and “a careless word or gesture might set half a continent aflame.”
During the first week of Ramadan, no new limitations would be placed, and the number of east Jerusalem and West Bank Muslims allowed into the Temple Mount will remain the same as previous years.
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