BICOM

After a third successive day of clashes between Muslim rioters and Israeli police on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, the government has decided to renew a ban on Knesset members visiting the site, which will also be closed to non-Muslim visitors until the end of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month.

Likud MK Nava Boker criticised the decision, calling it “a prize to terrorism”. However, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat said that safety is paramount and that “Israeli police must be allowed to do its work”.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan’s decision to renew a ban on Knesset members is to reduce further tension. The ban was instituted by Netanyahu in October last year, at the height of a wave of violence, which saw near-daily Palestinian attacks on Israelis, mainly through stabbings and vehicle ramming. However, he was thought to be considering lifting the ban earlier this month, until last night’s meeting with Erdan.

Since Sunday, Muslim worshippers at the al-Aqsa Mosque, which stands atop the Temple Mount, have attempted to violently prevent visits by non-Muslims to the site, which they say are traditionally not permitted during the final ten days of Ramadan. Yesterday, the violence continued and an elderly female Jewish worshipper praying at the adjacent Western Wall was injured after being struck by a rock thrown from the Temple Mount.

The Temple Mount, in Jerusalem’s Old City has often been a significant flashpoint for violence. The site, which is holy to both Jews and Muslims is administered by the Jerusalem-based Islamic Waqf religious council. Although Jews are permitted to visit the Temple Mount in small groups, Israeli restrictions determine that they are not allowed to pray there for fear of subsequent violence.