Police raid home with extremist material on Temple Mount

The Temple Mount was relatively quiet on Tuesday, despite police preparations for possible clashes between Jewish activists and Muslims at the Aksa Mosque.

By MELANIE LIDMAN
temple mount 311 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
temple mount 311
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
The Temple Mount was relatively quiet on Tuesday, despite police preparations for possible clashes between Jewish activists and Muslims at the Aksa Mosque.
Jerusalem Police prepared for the possibility of stone throwing or other violence following a call that was put out by Muslims to “come and protect” the Temple Mount, after Jewish activists said they would visit the site.
Overnight on Monday, police raided an apartment in the Ramot neighborhood and found far-right materials related to the Temple Mount, including flyers from an extremist website. Police arrested an activist who is one of the central figures in the extremist website “Our Temple Mount,” Jerusalem Police spokesman Shmuel Ben- Ruby said.
The Temple Mount stayed open to non-Muslim visitors on Tuesday, though police significantly increased their presence around the site, Ben-Ruby added. On Tuesday afternoon, a number of Arab youth threw rocks and shoes at police accompanying a group of visitors. One officer was injured in the head and treated on site. Three youths were arrested later in the day, and police were searching for more people involved.
“Our Temple Mount” organizes tours and demonstrations in support of Jewish sovereignty over the Mount.
Activists believe that building the Third Temple will only take place after destroying the Muslim structures on the Mount, including the Dome of the Rock and the Aksa Mosque.
Two weeks ago, the website called for members of the Likud central committee to join Moshe Feiglin, head of the party’s Jewish Leadership faction, at the Temple Mount on his monthly visit. “Purify the site from the enemies of Israel who stole the land, and build the Third Temple on the ruins of the mosques,” the flyer read.
Feiglin and two activists were denied access and the Temple Mount was closed to non-Muslims amid fears of violence.
On Sunday, a group of approximately 50 Arabs threw stones at Christian tourists and police patrols, prompted by reports in the Jordanian press of more attempts by Jewish activists to enter the Temple Mount. Police arrested 24 people in connection with the stone throwing.