BICOM

The Jewish fast of the Tisha b’Av passed without major incident yesterday, despite some minor clashes on the Temple Mount between Jewish and Muslim visitors and the police.

The Times of Israel  reports that nine  Jews were arrested or detained on the Temple Mount over the course of the fast of Tisha b’Av for disruption. One of the Jews was arrested for crying, which Jews are banned from doing on the Temple Mount. Another was arrested for ripping his shirt, a sign of mourning in the Jewish religion.

There were minor scuffles by Muslim visitors on the Mount attempting to attack Jewish visitors, but there were no serious injuries. According to the Red Crescent, 15 Palestinians were treated for minor injuries after clashing with the police. Police closed the site to Jewish visitors 45 minutes early to prevent escalation.

The Tisha b’Av fast commemorates the destruction of the original Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, in 586BC, by the Babylonians. It also marks the destruction of the second Temple by the Romans in 70CE. The current Temple Mount structure with its retaining walls and enormous flat plaza, was built by King Herod the Great. Today it houses the al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, important Muslim holy sites. Police had prepared for possible escalation on the day as Jewish mourners sought to go up on the Mount while Palestinian protesters had attempted to prevent them.

Moreover, a soldier was lightly injured by a stabbing attack last night. The female assailant arrived at a checkpoint in the northern West Bank on Sunday evening, got out of her car, and stabbed a military policewoman before being captured and taken into custody.

Overnight, Israeli troops demolished the home of the murderer of 13-year-old Hallel Ariel, who was stabbed to death while sleeping in her bed. The murderer, Muhammad Nasser Tarayrah, was killed on the scene. His home, on the second storey of a building near Hebron, was demolished, leaving the rest of the building standing.

The Supreme Court approved the demolition last week, noting evidence that some of Tarayrah’s family were aware of his plans and approved of the murder. Tarayrah’s sister wrote on Facebook after the attack: “My brother, you have brought pride to us, to your family, and not only to your family, but all of [home town] Bani Na’im.”

Meanwhile, Hamas announced this morning that a member of its military wing was electrocuted whilst building a tunnel on Saturday. Hundreds of Palestinians have reportedly died in accidents whilst building tunnels in Gaza for smuggling and for crossing into Israel to carry out attacks.