Jerusalem – Thousands of Jews arrived at the Western Wall on Wednesday for the Priestly Blessing of the Sukkot holiday.
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The Jerusalem Police was on high alert surrounding the prayers, saying it deployed extra forces to maintain law and order in city’s holy sites, including the Western Wall and Temple Mount.
Under a decades-old status quo agreement, Jews may visit but not pray on Temple Mount. Instead, the Western Wall underneath is reserved for Jewish prayer.
A Jewish visitor was arrested on Temple Mount for assaulting a police officer, while three others were detained for violating rules pertaining to visiting the area. Meanwhile, a Muslim woman was arrested for assaulting a police officer.
Muslim worshippers have over recent days protested Jewish visits to the top of the mount, hurling rocks and firecrackers at police escorting them.
Spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said that since Rosh Hashanah on September 13, police have arrest 174 Palestinians in Jerusalem for throwing rocks and firebombs, among them 69 minors.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday he will urge Palestinian leaders to stop “inciting” unrest in his UN General Assembly address on Thursday.
“I will stress that unfortunately, the Palestinians continue to spread blatant lies about our policy on Temple Mount, and I will demand an end to this wild incitement,” he said before leaving for New York. “Israel is committed to the status quo, which it maintains. The Palestinian rioters who bring weapons to Temple Mount are the ones who harm the holy place and are the ones violating the status quo.”
Netanyahu also said he would stress Israel’s desire for peace with the Palestinians.
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