On Sunday the Jerusalem District Court held a hearing into the question of whether to continue a restraining order issued by the court against Temple Mount activist Rabbi Yehuda Glick.
The matter was raised by Glick in response to the restraining order, which Glick contended prevented him from earning a living.
The restraining order had been issued after a complaint was filed by an Arab woman who claimed that Glick had pushed her on the Temple Mount.
Because Glick was unable to physically appear in court due to ill health — this, following an assassination attempt last month by an Arab terrorist who pumped four bullets into his chest at point-blank range — Glick instead sent a detailed letter to the Court in which he listed his claims.
Here are some key points of the letter, before you read the whole thing:
With regard to the case in question, the plaintiff wishes to accuse me of assault. She first claimed that the event occurred on 2 September 2014, but after I proved that I was not at the Temple Mount that afternoon, the respondent changed the story and stated the event occurred on 31 August 2014.
As a religious Jew coming to the Temple Mount, I am always accompanied by police, who stand right beside me. It should be noted that two police officers and one commanding officer that were from the area warned the plaintiff that they did not see the events for which she filed the complaint.
It is inconceivable that I would push a woman, let alone knock her to the ground, without all of the police officers in the area having seen such an event.
All of my tours on the Temple Mount are conducted with participants and Arab elements in place, and watched by police through fixed and mobile video security cameras. I was fully apparent and visible at the scene from four different angles. Anyone can see that I am the victim here — yet instead of reacting in self-defense, I turn and ask police in the area to distance the rioters.
The courts are expected to decide either this Thursday, or Tuesday next week whether or not to extend or cancel the restraining order.
Here is Yehuda Glick’s letter (translated):
“I really wanted to participate in the discussion of my appeal against the decision to bar me from the Temple Mount,” wrote Glick. “But as is well known, an attempt was made on my life on October 29, 2014 by a Muslim extremist (from this alone one easily learns who is the attacker, and who is the attacked, with regard to those who choose to go up to the Temple Mount.)
“After ten days in which I was sedated and on a respirator, and an additional week in which I remained in intensive care, plus an another week in the Department of Surgery, just a few days ago I was released for the purpose of extensive rehabilitative services. Despite that, I requested permission to participate in these court proceedings; however, this past Shabbat I became severely weakened and thus cannot appear physically in the court room.
Therefore, I respectfully request the court herewith accept this letter in lieu of my appearance and verbal testimony:
For 25 years, since 1989, I have guided groups in to the Temple Mount. To this day, I teach hundreds of groups, including thousands of participants, including Jews and non-Jews, secular and observant alike.
In recent years, this activity has become the means for my livelihood, and I guide groups sometimes three to four times a day.
With regard to the case in question, the plaintiff wishes to accuse me of assault. She first claimed that the event occurred on 2 September 2014, but after I proved that I was not at the Temple Mount that afternoon, the respondent changed the story and stated the event occurred on 31 August 2014.
It should be noted that the plaintiff does not claim, God forbid, that I attack on a regular basis, but rather claims it to be a single event.
It should be noted that since the so-called “incident” I have gone up to the Temple Mount eight times, and at no point has any such event occurred. (all during September 2014) Thus it is clearly proven there is no danger to the public at the Temple Mount vis a vis any event relating to my self.
As a religious Jew coming to the Temple Mount, I am always accompanied by police, who stand right beside me. It should be noted that two police officers and one commanding officer that were from the area warned the plaintiff that they did not see the events for which she filed the complaint.