Activists caught trying to smuggle goat onto Temple Mount

Jewish activists tried to smuggle a live goat onto the Temple Mount in Jerusalem on Monday using a supermarket bag.

The Israel Police confirmed that officers from the David Subdistrict of the Jerusalem District arrested nine suspects in the Old City for allegedly assaulting police officers and attempting to disturb the public order. The detainees were residents of Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria. One of the suspects was found to be concealing a live animal in a bag, which was handed over for veterinary treatment.

According to police, the individuals were identified during operational activity in the alleys of the Old City, where their suspicious behavior led to a confrontation that turned physical. All nine were detained and transferred for questioning.

The Temple Mount, revered by Jews and Christians as the site of the ancient Temples and by Muslims as the location of the Al-Aqsa mosque, is frequently a flashpoint for tensions. Under current Israeli policy, non-Muslim prayer and religious rituals are not permitted on the Mount. Attempts to perform animal sacrifices are strictly prohibited.

Police emphasized they take suspected animal abuse and the unlawful possession or use of animals very seriously, especially when linked to public disorder. The identities of the suspects and the current condition of the goat have not been released.