Police closed the Temple Mount to Muslims on Tuesday, Shavuot eve, after receiving intelligence reports of planned Arab riots against Jewish visitors to the holy site, according to an Arutz-7 report.
A source confirmed the story to the JewishPress.com and added that police simply learned their lesson from previous Jewish holidays when the Arabs used that as an excuse to riot.
This is the first time Israel has ever almost completely closed the Temple Mount to Muslims. Only some Waqf officials, and elderly were allowed to stay on the Jewish holy site.
And despite the constant threats from the police and the left that the Arabs would riot and war could break out if Israel were to do that – nothing happened.
In an unusual move, the police instead opened the Temple Mount to 400 Jewish visitors, and did not cause the religious Jewish visitors any delays or problems like they normally do.
One regular at the Kotel told JewishPress.com that he saw an unusually large contingent of Jews go up to the mountain.
There have been proposals to create a time-sharing arrangement on the Temple Mount, so Jews can pray there without being harassed by Hamas inciters. If today works out smoothly, perhaps this will become a more permanent arrangement.
The Women in Green have already put in an official request for Jewish prayer time on the Temple Mount on Tisha B’Av, the anniversary of he destruction of the Temple. They are still waiting for a reply.