Hamas threatens violence as Temple Mount reopens to Jews
The Hamas terror organization is threatening that the reopening of the Temple Mount for Jewish visits on Yon Ha’Atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, will lead to “a renewed escalation.”
Israeli police escort Jews who ascend the Temple Mount in Jerusalem during Chol HaMoed Pesach, which is celebrated this year at the same time as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Jerusalem, Apr 18, 2022. Photo by Shalev Shalom/TPS
The Temple Mount is slated to be reopened to Jewish visits on Thursday after 13 days in which Jewish visits were barred at the holy site due to Muslim violence over the month of Ramadan and the government’s attempts at maintaining relative quiet in the area at the expense of the Jews’ rights.
A spokesman for the terror organization in Gaza, ‘Abd al-Latif al-Qa’una, said Wednesday that Israel’s approval of Jewish visits to the Temple Mount is “a detonator that will lead to a new conflict.”
He called on Arabs from eastern Jerusalem to block the Jews’ Israelis who will entry to the complex.
The Muslims will “not agree to the return of the break-ins,” as he called the Jewish visits, and “its division into times and space,” Hamas’ allegation that Israel is trying to make drastic changes to the status of the Temple Mount.
Hamas has launched an online campaign calling on Muslims to flock to the Temple Mount to defend it against the Jews.
The Fatah movement, led by Mahmoud Abbas, warned of a “regional religious war” if the Temple Mount is reopened to Jews.
The police are preparing for the Jews’ return to the Temple Mount on Independence Day and have reportedly disconnected the public address system at the Al-Aqsa Mosque to prevent incitement against the Jews.
Hamas claimed responsibility for the deadly shooting attack at the entrance to the city of Ariel in Samaria on Friday, in which Vyacheslav Golev was murdered, saying that it was the opening of a “new phase” of quality attacks against Israel, and that the attack “was a response that is part of a chain of reactions of the Hamas military wing to the aggression against the Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
The country’s security establishment is bracing for further violence, especially toward Israel’s Independence Day, Nakba Day, and the first anniversary of Operation Guardian of the Walls.
