Over 1,700 Jews ascend Temple Mount on Tisha B'av Jews on the Temple Mount (illustrative)Naama Stern/Flash90 Hundreds of police officers from the Jerusalem District, together with reinforcements from both Israel Police and Border Police, are working to secure the various events and the worshipers arriving at the Western Wall and Jerusalem's Old City to mark the fast day of Tisha B'av. Among the visitors to the Temple Mount were National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir (Otzma Yehudit), Negev and Galilee Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf (Otzma Yehudit), and Likud's MK Amit Halevi. Meanwhile, 16 worshipers were arrested and detained by police following clashes with Arabs and police forces. Wasserlauf said, "Now, on Tisha B'av, we are at the Temple Mount - the holiest place for the Jewish people. All of the Jews throughout two thousand years of exile prayed and begged to reach this place, to ascend the Temple Mount. With G-d's help, we will merit to build the Holy Temple." Ben Gvir sent a message of unity with the words, "On this day, at this place, it is important to always remember - we are all brothers. Right, left, religious, secular. We are all the same nation. And when a terrorist looks out the window, he doesn't differentiate between us. Unity is important, love is important. This place, this place is most important to the people of Israel, we need to return and show our governance." The US Embassy in Israel's Spokesperson commented on National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir's visit to the Temple Mount this morning: "The US stands firmly for the preservation of the historic status quo with respect to the holy sites in Jerusalem. Any unilateral action or rhetoric that jeopardizes the status quo is unacceptable." |