Jews detained on Temple Mount on Tenth of Tevet

Tuesday, December 22, 2015, 14:40 Honenu: “The police are harassing Jews on the Temple Mount.”
On the morning of Tuesday, December 22 – the tenth day of the Hebrew month of Tevet, a fast day commemorating the start of the siege on Jerusalem preceding the destruction of the Holy Temple – Yehuda Etzion was detained on the Temple Mount. Etzion was detained on a claim that he had raised his arms during a visit at the site. An additional Jewish visitor to the site was detained by the police on a claim that he had “disrupted public order” by making a remark to Waqf personnel and other Muslims who had insulted a group of Jews on the Temple Mount.
Honenu Attorney Rehavia Piltz arrived at the police station to advise the two detainees and heard Etzion’s description of the course of events. Etzion said that he had strolled on the Temple Mount with his arms raised upwards for a long time. Shortly before the end of his visit he was approached by a policeman who was instructed to escort him. The policeman refused to respond when Etzion requested the reason for the escort. He therefore refused to accompany the policeman until someone informed him whether or not he was suspected of something. Then four policemen dragged Etzion from the Temple Mount.
After interrogation the two detainees were released. On Wednesday, December 23, a deliberation will be held at the Jerusalem Magistrate Court on a demand by the police to ban them from entering the Temple Mount.
Honenu Attorney Rehavia Piltz: “The situation is very serious when the Israeli Police allows Jews ascending the Temple Mount on a fast day commemorating the beginning of the destruction of the Holy Temple to be insulted, cursed and disturbed [and does nothing to the perpetrators], but harasses Jews accused of much more minor offenses.”