Jews packed the Mughrabi Gate bridge, lined up, waiting hours to enter the Temple Mount, the holiest site of the Jewish People, on Tisha B’Av, the day Jews mourn the destruction of the two Temples that once stood there.
A total of 1043 Jews managed to enter the Jewish holy site before the gates were closed to Jews at 11:00 AM. Last year, only 400 Jews were allowed to enter the entire day. The gate will be reopened to Jews at 1:30 PM.
Jews began waiting by the Mughrabi Gate at 5:30 AM, and by 7:30 AM, 400 Jews were waiting to enter.
Update: A record 1263 Jews went up to the Temple Mount today.
Due to the extremely large number of Jews who wanted to enter, the police allowed slightly larger than usual groups of Jews to enter, but only allowed them to visit on the shorter path, according to TPS.
Jews waiting to go in suggested to the police that the police allow all the Jews to go in at once, instead of in small groups, and allow them to walk where they want, and that would solve the problem of trying to squeeze them all in before the police shut the gates to Jews at 11:00 AM.
That suggestion was rejected outright by the police.
Police do not allow Jews to freely visit the Temple Mount, do not allow them to pray on the Jewish holy site so as not to offend the Muslims currently occupying the Temple Mount, and can only go up under heavy police escort.
During the visits, a Muslim threw a chair at one of the groups, hitting a 15-year-old boy in the head.
The Jewish boy was removed from the Temple Mount and taken to the Kishle police station for medical treatment and to give a statement.
A fight broke out between a Muslim and Jews exiting the Temple Mount at the Shalshelet gate when apparently the Muslim attacked the Jews. Three Jews and a Muslim were arrested.
A total of six Jews were arrested on the Temple Mount for breaking the rules, which includes praying.
A lawyer from the Honenu legal right organization is on his way to check on why they were all arrested and to assist them.
Witnesses say, the police acted unusually violent in some of the arrests against the Jews, and even used a taser on three Jews arrested at the exit to the Temple Mount.