Jerusalem's Temple Mount complex opened for Jews for first time in 20 days
May 23, 2021
Jerusalem [Israel] May 23 : Amid the ceasefire between Israel and Palestine, Jerusalem's Temple Mount complex has opened to Jews on Sunday morning for the first time in 20 days, amid tensions at the holy site.
The Times of Israel reported that the complex was opened to Jews today morning for the first time in 20 days, amid simmering tensions. The complex has played a major role in sparking hostilities with the Hamas in Gaza and violence across Israel.
Al Jazeera reported that dozens of Jewish, backed by heavily armed Israeli special forces, stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem in the early morning, hours after Palestinian worshippers were beaten and assaulted by Israeli police, according to the Islamic authority overseeing the site.
Citing witnesses, Palestinian news agency WAFA said Israeli police had earlier on Sunday assaulted Palestinian worshippers who were performing dawn prayers at the mosque and assaulting them.
WAFA added that at least six Palestinians had been arrested.
The Temple Mount is the holiest place in Judaism, as the site of the biblical Temples. It is also a site of the third-holiest shrine in Islam, the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Jews have been barred from visiting the Temple Mount since May 3, when authorities made the decision to shutter the compound to non-Muslims amid spiraling tensions in the city, reported Israel Times.
The fighting between Israel and Hamas began on May 10, after Gaza militants fired barrages of rockets at Israel in protest to the Israeli measures in East Jerusalem.
A tit-for-tat trade of fire broke out, where Israeli fighter jets carried out hundreds of airstrikes on the Gaza Strip. Israel said that it targeted the infrastructure of Hamas and other militant groups in the enclave.
On Friday, an Egypt-brokered ceasefire was reached between the two sides.
