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10 Jews Arrested for Praying on Temple Mount

Ten Jewish men were removed by police from the Temple Mount after praying and singing at the holy site.

Jerusalem Police detained the men on Monday morning, and then closed the Temple Mount to visitors. The men reportedly prayed and bowed on the Temple Mount, and then sang “Hatikva,” waved and Israeli flag and danced.

About an hour before the incident, police detained three other Jewish men for questioning after they prayed and bowed during a tour of the Temple Mount, Ynet reported.

Jews generally are not permitted by police to pray or bring any ritual objects to the Temple Mount, which is considered Judaism’s holiest site, in order to avoid confrontation with Muslim worshipers at the Al-Aksa Mosque, Islam’s third holiest site. The site is overseen by the Muslim Wakf, the Muslim religious administration charged with managing the Temple Mount site.

The Temple Mount was closed to non-Muslim visitors during the recent Sukkot holiday over fears that Muslims would be incited to violence by the crowds.

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