BICOM

The Jerusalem Municipality has decided to shut the Mughrabi Bridge leading from the Western Wall Plaza to the Temple Mount Compound (known to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif) in Jerusalem’s Old City, in a move that it is feared may lead to angry reactions from Muslim residents of the area.

In a letter released yesterday, Jerusalem city engineer Shlomo Eshkol informed the authorities of his plan to block access to all but security forces. The bridge, which is made of wood, is considered by the municipality to be unsafe and a fire hazard. While the intention of the municipality is to replace the bridge, there is a widespread belief both in Jerusalem and among many in the wider Muslim world that Israel seeks to harm Muslim holy sites.This sentiment makes any renovation activity of any kind in the Old City area, and especially in the area of the Temple Mount, extremely sensitive and liable to lead to protests and possibly violence.

The Mughrabi Bridge is hardly used by Muslim worshippers because of its location. It is however, a main entry point to the area for foreign tourists wishing to visit the Temple Mount and the mosques on it, and for the small number of Jews who ascend to the site.