Israeli police arrested four Jewish Israelis on Wednesday on suspicion of planning a ritual Passover sacrifice on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. A young goat was found near one of the suspects, Kathpress reported, citing Israeli media and Catholic news agency KNA (Thursday).
According to police information, the four men, around 20 years old, were under the influence of the Jewish temple activist group Return to the Mountain, which had recently campaigned for a ritual Passover sacrifice on the Temple Mount. According to reports, she offered a bonus of the equivalent of almost 2,850 euros to those who manage to perform the sacrifice “in the right place”.
Activists pinpoint ‘violation of religious freedom’
Police reportedly said they are openly and covertly investigating “anyone who wants to disturb the peace and act against the status quo on the Temple Mount and other holy sites in the city”. She also called on the public “not to give a stage to extreme fringe groups who seek or invoke disturbance of the order and the law”.
The “Return to the Mountain” activist group criticized the police crackdown as a violation of religious freedom and announced further attempts to make a Passover sacrifice.
Palestinians warn of ‘provocation’
Leaders of several Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip warned of “provocations by Zionist criminals” and called on Palestinians to gather Friday on the Haram al-Sharif, as the Temple Mount is known in Arabic. The Palestinian Authority and Jordan had also warned that “provocations” by Jews during Passover could spark a new cycle of violence.
The Temple Mount is an important holy site for Jews, Muslims and Christians. Until it was destroyed by the Romans in AD 70, the Jewish Temple, Israel’s central sanctuary, stood here. Numerous biblical and religious traditions, such as the creation of Adam and Eve, the sacrifice of Isaac or, on the part of Islam, the ascension of Muhammad, are associated with the place. The current status quo allows non-Muslims to visit, but public prayer on the Temple Mount is reserved for Muslims.
Is there a new escalation of violence?
Visits by nationalist Israelis to the Temple Mount and Jewish demands for prayer rights on the Temple Mount have repeatedly sparked violent protests from Palestinians in the past. This year’s Jewish Passover begins at sunset on Friday evening and ends at sunset on April 22. This year it falls in the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which began on April 1.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
