Religion
News about Judaism, faith and other religious issues around the world
At an Iftar dinner, the Israeli defense minister said a minority extremist group is harming Muslim worshipping rights.
In his Ramadan prayer, the imam calls for the “conquest and liberation of the Al-Aqsa mosque” and the death of the Jews and their “hypocritical supporters.”
“During Ramadan, Israel ensured that hundreds of thousands of Muslims could go to the Temple Mount and pray at Al-Aqsa despite provocations by terrorist organizations, despite attempts to stoke violence,” said Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid.
Knesset member Itamar Ben-Gvir blasted the Israel Police for letting Raed Salah visit the Temple Mount while refusing to allow a right-wing march to take place in the Old City.
“We understand why some of our friends aren’t here today, though it is a little disappointing,” said Shmuel Cohen of Jerusalem. “There is no reason it needs to be this way. What do the Palestinians who caused this gain from this? This is their holy month, and they use Al-Aqsa this way?”
Some 400 Palestinian rioters were arrested on Temple Mount following clashes with police.
Some 3,000 police, Border Police and member of other branches of the security forces were on duty in Jerusalem with streets around the Old City closed.
Hotels across the country are being directed to ramp up security over concerns of a repeat of the 2002 Park Hotel massacre in Netanya.
Anila Ali, the board chair and president of the American Muslim and Multifaith Women’s Empowerment Council, and one of the co-founders of the Mukhayriq Initiative, said: “I feel like the Jews are our natural allies.”
Religious leaders, politicians and civil-rights activists gathered to break bread and show interfaith solidarity during the month of Ramadan.
Report: The concern is that Iran and Hezbollah will exploit the situation to recruit Shi’ite youth like they did in Lebanon.
The government said it would relax restrictions if calm prevailed.
