Temple Mount closed due to threats of Palestinian rioting

Police close Jerusalem site after receiving threats of violence; police to review reopening holy site on Wednesday.

By DANIEL K. EISENBUD
Police patrol near the Temple Mount 370 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Police patrol near the Temple Mount 370
(photo credit: REUTERS)
The Temple Mount was closed to thousands of visitors Tuesday morning, including Jews making a pilgrimage to the holy site for Succot, after police received threats of rioting by Palestinian Muslims at the site.
According to Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld, following a security assessment, police determined that closing the holy site was necessary to protect visitors from possible violence at the hands of Arabs who reject Jewish rights to pray there.
Asked if the site would be reopened to visitors Wednesday, Rosenfeld said police are taking a wait and see approach.
“We’ll see what takes place tomorrow,” he said.
A police officer was lightly injured and three members of the northern branch of the fundamentalist Islamic Movement were arrested at the Temple Mount last week, after several rock-throwing Palestinians attacked visiting groups, police said.