Medad - What you cannot and maybe can do on the Temple Mount

Yisrael Medad..
Green-Lined/JPost..
22 May '12..

Following up on the profile piece in this paper on the matter of Jewish rights to and in the Temple Mount, the Israel Police have issued new instructions regarding Jews who enter the Temple Mount (from the Hebrew report: אסור להם לעצום עיניים, להתנדנד, להוציא פתק מהכיס ) or: Jews within the Temple Mount precincts now, on police orders can neither close their eyes, schuckle (a swaying and/or rocking movement), or remove any piece of paper from their pockets.

That is in addition to the no praying, no reading from a Bible or Psalter and no prostations that are prohibited therein. (Background here and the Chief Rabbinate's position.)

Even Fodors Guide knows what's important in their description of the Western Wall Plaza:

The swaying and praying of the devout reveal the powerful hold this place still has on the hearts and minds of many Jews.

Going to court won't help. The court agrees that Jews have the basic right to express respect through prayer but hinge that on a rquired police permission for fear of "distrubance to the public order". For example, a 2008 decision report:

Justices Dorit Beinisch, Hanan Meltzer and Yoram Danziger determined that police's decision to bar non-Muslims from the mount was a security-related matter in which the court should not interfere. "The right to access to the Temple Mount is not absolute, and the [police's] decision to restrict it due to concern for public safety does not give us cause to intervene,” the justices wrote.

Since the Muslims simply need but to threaten to riot and throw stones, although they do that, too, and the police prohibit entry, there goes prayer.

And swaying.

And closing one's eyes.

Playing soccer, however, might be allowed -



Link: http://blogs.jpost.com/content/what-you-cannot-and-maybe-can-do-temple-mount


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