Over the Sukkot holiday, 12 Jews were arrested and many more were harassed and denied religious rights on the Temple Mount. Eight of the arrests were for prayer crimes and three were for peacefully protesting the policies of discrimination and denigration.
A day-by-day report from activists in the field:
Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2012 1st Day of Chol Hamoed Sukkot
7:30 am – Jewish pilgrims ascend the Mount with Likud activists Moshe Feiglin. Feiglin is arrested with Chagi Weiss (son of Professor Hillel Weiss) for the crime of praying.
9:00 am – Several dozen observant Jews wait for over an hour at the Mugrabi Gate until being denied entrance. The police, however, allow non-Jewish Tourists to continue to enter the Mount without hindrance.
12:30 pm – The police allow Jewish pilgrims to enter the Mount, however the visit is restricted to several minutes and to a short path between the Mugrabim and Shalshelet gates. One Jew, Haggai Yekutiel from Elon Shvut, was arrested for an arguing with a policeman over the shortened ascent.
Arrest totals = 3
Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2012 2nd Day of Chol Hamoed Sukkot
8:00 am – Police permit a Jewish group of pilgrims to ascend the Mount only after making them wait for a half hour, during which time only non-Jewish tourists are allowed in. According to eye witnesses, security personnel are heard complaining, “The religious standing in line interfere with our job.”
8:30 am – The police arrest two Jews on the Mount. Menahem Ben-Yashar, 87 is arrested for bowing down and Elyashiv Cherlow, the son of Rabbi Yuval Cherlow is arrested for reasons not clear.
9:00 am – The police arrest Yehuda Liebman from Yitzhar for no apparent reason.
Arrest totals = 3
Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012 3rd Day of Chol Hamoed Sukkot
8:30 am – Jewish pilgrims on the Mount are attacked by the Waqf officials over suspicion that one Jew prostrated towards the spot of the Temple. One of the Waqf officials kicked and punched the Attorney Yehuda Shimon. Other Waqf officials threatened photographers who were filming and tried to break cameras. The police did not make any arrests.
9:00 am – Police arrest Moshe Puah for closing his eyes, while on the Mount.
1:00 pm – Over seventy observant Jews are waiting since 12:30 pm to ascend and make pilgrimage to the Mount, however the police continue to allow non-Jewish tourist to flow freely through Mugrabi gate. The police finally announce that the mountain was closed to Jews. The crowd refused to disperse and protested the blatant discrimination of allowing only non-Jewish tourists to ascend the Mount, but closing the Mount to Jewish pilgrims coming to celebrate the holiday. Riot police are brought in and begin to use great force and violence against the Jewish crowd. Yosef Elyashiv Sade, a resident of Nahariya, witnessed a policeman aim a stun gun aimed towards people in the crowd. Another gentleman Meor Nazari, noticed that the policeman also threatened a 14-year-old boy with the stun gun as well. The police arrested 3.
The videos of the violence can be seen on you tube here and here.
Arrest Totals = 4
Friday, Oct. 5, 2012 4th Day of Chol Hamoed Sukkot
The Temple Mount is closed to all Jewish Pilgrims and non-Jewish tourists.
2:00 pm – Hundreds of Muslims throw stones at the Mughrabi Gate. Police enter the Mount and disperse the rioters.
Shabbat, Oct. 6, 2012 5th Day Chol Hamoed Sukkot, Shabbat
The Temple Mount is closed to all Jewish Pilgrims and non-Jewish tourists.
Sunday, 7,10,2012 Hoshana Rabbah, Sukkot
8:30 am – Police arrest Aviad Shapira and Moshe Spitz on the Mount with their children. Spitz was accused of bowing, but Shapira’s arrest cause was not made clear.