Two weeks before Ramadan, and the concern over fermenting unrest due to intentions to limit the ascent of Israeli Arabs to the Temple Mount is preoccupying security authorities.
Concern is high about the potential for increased violence due to the religious sensitivities of the Ramadan holiday.
Hamas terror chief Ismail Haniyeh made a televised statement on Wednesday calling on barricades at al-Aqsa Mosque at the start of Ramadan and Hamas's "flexible" stance on hostage negotiations.
Israel, the Palestinian leadership, and the Waqf must take careful measures to ensure freedom of worship for Muslims.
[Our] anger is imminent… and an explosion is coming in response to any restrictions on the entry of Muslims to Al-Aqsa Mosque during the month of Ramadan,” Hamas wrote.
"Israel should have come and said 'The place is ours, the city is ours, this is the site of our Temple,'" stresses Dr. Mordechai Kedar.
Gilad Erdan's comments were made after Hamas launched rockets towards the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
In the West Bank, Israeli troops killed four Palestinians during raids, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA said. Two of the dead were identified by militant factions as their members.
What empowers Hamas and allows it to thrive is that too many have accepted their corruption of the teachings of a world religion.
Over 4,200 Jewish pilgrims have visited the Temple Mount so far during the Sukkot holiday.
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