Jewish Israelis flock to Temple Mount in greater numbers
Despite warnings from some rabbis that visits are forbidden, more Jewish Israelis are ascending the Temple Mount than ever.
Hundreds of Israeli Jews are expected to ascend the Temple Mount compound today and throughout the week until Sept. 27, celebrating the Sukkot holiday. Security is being beefed up for the week across Israel and especially around the Temple Mount compound, but the site will remain open with the usual visiting hours for Jews.
The Temple Mount is the holiest site in Jewish tradition. It is also one of the holiest sites for Muslims, housing Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, Haram al-Sharif. It is the most sensitive and volatile point in Israel and the site of many conflicts over its history.
In September 2000, opposition leader (and later prime minister) Ariel Sharon visited the site during a crisis between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, contributing to a violent uprising ensued. In 2017, two Israeli police officers were shot and killed outside the site. Israel then installed metal detectors at the entrance to the compound, outraging the Muslim world and sparking riots among Palestinians. This year as well has been marked by violent clashes in the compound between Muslim worshipers and activists and Israeli security forces. The May clashes were sparked by the efforts of Israeli authorities to demolish Palestinian homes in the Jerusalem Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.
But even apart from the interreligious, political, diplomatic and security sensitivities, ascending the site is a complex issue within Jewish tradition. Many rabbis oppose the act for religious reasons and Jewish Israelis find conflicting signs at the site.
