Police carry out “illegal” body searches to prevent attempts to wave lulav on Temple Mount
Temple Mount activists succeeded in smuggling lulav and etrog onto the Temple Mount in order to perform the mitzvah (commandment) of waving the four species during the week-long holiday of Sukkoth. The police carried out full-body searches in a manner the Temple Mount activists claim is illegal.
Last Tuesday, a lulav and strong were smuggled onto the Temple Mount and waved in the presence of police.
The next morning, police began carrying out full-body searches on Jewish men entering the Temple Mount compound. Despite the police efforts, another set of lulav and etrog was smuggled into the compound.
Tom Nisani, head of the Beyadenu Temple Mount activist organization, released a statement.
“Jews observed the mitzvot (commandment) of the holiday in the holiest place in the world and nothing happened,” Nisani said. “Those who create provocations on the subject are only the police and the government. It’s time to stop being afraid and allow Jews also freedom of worship on the Temple Mount.”
Beyadenu claims the searches are illegal on the following grounds:
The police responded:
“This is a partial and distorted description, as the violations that occurred today in the Temple Mount area were dealt with by the police, including the removal and arrest of one of the violators, including in the case described. Today, the visits took place on the Temple Mount as scheduled and in accordance with the rules. Unfortunately, a few visitors violated the rules and were treated accordingly. We will continue to work to maintain security and order in the area and to hold visits to the Temple Mount in accordance with the rules that have been in place for decades. Any attempt by extremist elements to make provocations of this kind, to encourage or justify them – first and foremost harms the public visiting the place, the vast majority of which adheres to the rules of visiting the place that have been in place for many years.”
The police responded:
“This is a partial and distorted description, as the violations that occurred today in the Temple Mount area were dealt with by the police, including the removal and arrest of one of the violators, including in the case described. Today, the visits took place on the Temple Mount as scheduled and in accordance with the rules. Unfortunately, a few visitors violated the rules and were treated accordingly. We will continue to work to maintain security and order in the area and to hold visits to the Temple Mount in accordance with the rules that have been in place for decades. Any attempt by extremist elements to make provocations of this kind, to encourage or justify them – first and foremost harms the public visiting the place, the vast majority of which adheres to the rules of visiting the place that have been in place for many years.”
Despite Israeli law mandating religious freedom and equality on the Temple Mount, the Israeli police limit Jewish visitation to the site and prohibit all visible Jewish practices. Due to record numbers of Jews visiting their holiest site, Jews are permitted to pray, but without tallit and tefillin and without a Torah scroll. Jews are prohibited from visiting the site at night or on Shabbat.
Though the Israeli police are required by law to protect Jewish rights to pray at their holiest site, the law allows the police to restrict this right for security considerations. Palestinians have carried out violent riots at the site in order to prevent religious equality. The police have capitulated to this violence.
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