Photo by Larisa sklar giller
Last Friday, Israeli forces set up metal detectors at the entrance of the Dome of the Rock. Palestinians got upset about this and started to violently protest.
Per Fox News, “The anger is over Israel’s decision to leave metal detectors at the entrances to the Temple Mount/Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem’s Old City – a security measure taken after last week’s deadly attack there.” The strict security measures comes from a terrorist attack, in which three Israelis were killed.
The New York Times reports, “Three Israelis were killed in what appeared to be a terrorist attack in a West Bank settlement hours after three Palestinians were killed in clashes with Israeli security forces.”
Muslim leaders were the ones who told Palestinians not to pass through the metal detectors that were put in place by Israeli forces. Some of them complied to the metal detectors.
The Times of Israel reports, “Muslim leaders instructed those wishing to pray not to agree to pass through the metal detector gates posted at the Temple Mount. Only a few Palestinians agreed to security checks and entered the site on Friday, with thousands more praying or protesting at various sites around the city.”
Only those who were 50 years or older were allowed on the Temple Mount.
Fox News states, “‘Today, specifically only men from the age of 50 and upwards will be allowed in and around the area of the Old City and the Temple Mount,’ said Micky Rosenfeld, Israeli police spokesman.”
The Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas cut short a trip to China and denounced Israel for using metal detectors at the Temple Mount.
Per The New York Times, “President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, who had cut short a trip to China to handle the spiraling crisis over the metal detectors, announced late Friday that he was freezing contacts with Israel at all levels until it canceled the new measures around the Jerusalem holy site.”
The Israeli soldiers were trying to protect worshippers from extremist threats intelligence had received.
The Times of Israel reports, “Earlier Friday police said they had intelligence that said ‘extremist elements’ intended ‘to cause violent disruptions to the public order, and thereby to threaten the public peace, including the [safety] of those coming to pray at the holy sites and other residents of the area.’”
Holy Land Missions in Jerusalem is seeking to build a new church, because they had been evicted three times and their current location is too small.
Holy Land Ministries explains, “It is the vision of HLM that with a multipurpose facility, parking and a playground, it will expand existing community programs for all faith, while supporting the dwindling East Jerusalem Christian Arab minority with a message of unity and hope.”
Pray for an end to the violence on the Temple Mount, especially regarding the metal detectors. Pray for more people in Jerusalem to come to know the Lord. Also, pray for Holy Land Ministries to be able to build their new facility.
Fox News: Jerusalem violence leaves three dead, close to 400 injured
The New York Times: Deadly Violence Erupts in Standoff Over Mosque in Jerusalem
The Times of India: Violence erupts outside Old City over Temple Mount restrictions
Holy Land Missions: Save The Jerusalem Church
