WATCH: Feiglin visits Temple Mount as site reopened to Jews
Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein instructed Knesset security chief Yosef Griff to assign Feiglin a bodyguard at all times Thursday, after the lawmaker received death threats.
By BEN HARTMANFeiglin visits Temple Mount
The Temple Mount was opened to Jewish visitors on Sunday morning for the first time since police announced Wednesday evening that it would be closed to Jews and Muslims following the attempted murder of a Jewish Temple Mount activist.As of Sunday the ban on Muslims was lifted altogether, and police said that they would make a decision about reinstating it later in the week, probably on Thursday ahead of Friday afternoon prayers.Far-right Likud MK Moshe Feiglin was among the Jewish visitors to the mount on Sunday morning, and during his visit he was subject to shouts and jeering from Muslims at the site.Feiglin said that efforts to continue banning Jewish prayer on the mount – the holiest site in Judaism – “will not succeed” and that “the giving up of Israeli sovereignty on the Temple Mount will lead to conceding Jerusalem and the whole country. A concession that will increase the violence in Gaza and up to the Lebanon border is a concession on this place.”During the visit police detained a Jewish man for disturbing the peace and another four Jews were arrested for scuffling with police who were trying to prevent them from entering the compound.On Thursday night police announced that beginning Friday they would lift the ban on Muslims entering the Temple Mount, but that men under the age of 50 would be banned.Violence continued in the city on Sunday, and according to Jerusalem Police rock-throwers pelted a bus traveling on Sultan Suleiman Street causing damage to the windshield, but did not cause any injuries. In addition, the Border Police arrested a 14-year-old Arab they said was throwing rocks at cars on Asher Viner Street in East Talpiot.Jerusalem Police said Sunday that over the course of the weekend they arrested 17 people for disturbing the peace and other charges related to rioting in the city.They added that since October 22, when police launched a major reinforcement in the city, they have arrested 111 people for charges related to rioting and rock-throwing – and they expect more to come.The condition of Yehudah Glick, who was shot by a terrorist following an event at the Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem last week, is “slowly improving,” Shaare Zedek Medical Center said on Sunday. However, the 49-year-old activist for Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount remains in serious condition, anesthetized, connected to a respirator and still in danger.
Nevertheless, if his condition continues to improve, said the Shaare Zedek spokeswoman, he will likely undergo a second operation on Monday, this time to repair damage to his intestines. He also suffered damage to his neck and left hand. His first operation soon after being admitted to the hospital last week was to halt serious hemorrhaging.After the operation, doctors will begin the attempt to take him off the respirator and anesthesia.