Israeli Police on high alert for Friday prayers
Pastor Dale Morgan
Israeli Police on high alert for Friday prayers*
After last Friday's riots on the Temple Mount police will deploy
thousands of officers in and around the Old City as tensions continue to
rise over the construction at the Mugrabi Gate. Muslim women too will be
subject to age restrictions after participating in last week's riots
Efrat Weiss
Published: 02.15.07, 18:35 / Israel News
Police forces will deploy by the thousands in Jerusalem on Friday
morning due to fears that Muslims will again riot at the Temple Mount.
Tension surrounding the construction work at the Mugrabi Gate has not
decreased, despite Turkey's offer Thursday to send inspectors to monitor
the project.
The Islamic Movement in Israel Thursday promised to continue its
protests and expressed its outrage over the understanding with Turkey,
saying it would further calculate its actions based on what is happening
in the field and not according to "news reports."
Police Commissioner Moshe Karadi stated during a security assessment
held on Thursday that some 3,000 police and Border Police forces were
set to deploy around the Temple Mount, the Old City and East Jerusalem
on Friday. Forces will also be stationed around some of the villages
surrounding Jerusalem.
During the assessment it was also decided to tighten security measures
for Friday prayers and police will only allow Muslim men over 50 with
Israeli ID cards to enter the site. Women previously enjoyed no
restrictions but after they participated in last week's riots it was
decided this week that only women aged 40 and over will be allowed in.
Last week police forces ultimately had to break into the Temple Mount
site after rioters began hurling rocks. Several policemen and civilians
were wounded during the clashes and police used stun grenades to
disperse the crowd. Over the course of the past week police detained
almost 100 East Jerusalem residents suspected of participating in the
riots – which were caught on camera.
"Our goal tomorrow is to have the prayers on the Temple Mount end
peacefully, without riots and with no one hurt," said Karadi.
Internet cameras broadcast Mugrabi works live - 24 hours a day
On Thursday the Israel Antiquities Authority began broadcasting live
images of the Mugrabi Gate works on the internet as part of the effort
to disprove Muslim claims that the work would damage nearby mosques.
Three cameras are currently operational at the site and will continue to
broadcast the live images 24 hours a day, Antiquities Authority
spokeswoman Osnat Goaz said.
''They film all angles of the works so people can view what's going
there all hours of the day. The works do not go anywhere near any holy
site and everybody can see that from the cameras," she said. Click to
see live feed of Mugrabi Gate excavations
However Muslims said they were not satisfied with the cameras.
''This procedure is not enough,'' said Ismail Radwan, a spokesman for
Hamas. ''The Zionist enemy is engaging in trickery and continuing its
digging. We don't trust these procedures.''
Turkey to send inspectors
Earlier Thursday Prime Minister Ehud Olmert agreed to allow a Turkish
inspection of the construction works following a request from Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's request. Olmert, who is on an
official trip to Ankara, came prepared with photographs and maps of the
construction site, but Erdogan said he would only rule on the matter
after a team of technical experts from Turkey inspected the site.
During a joint press conference Erdogan said that Olmert's photographs
had failed to convince him that there was no danger to Muslim interests
on the Temple Mount and that he had proposed the idea of a Turkish
inspection. Olmert said he welcomed the move: "I told him, we have
nothing to hide, we'd be happy to show, to cooperate, with anyone. But
the construction itself is outside the Temple Mount and has nothing to
do with what is holy to Christians and Muslims."
Arab Israeli MK Talab El-Sana (United Arab List-Ta'al) said Olmert's
decision to allow the Turkish team Temple Mount would not calm Muslim anger.
"This is a strange and peculiar policy of improvisations. What do the
Turks have to do with the Temple Mount? This proposal will not lead to
calm, and instead of going as far as Turkey, Olmert needs and should
speak with the Waqf, only a few dozen meters from his office," El-Sana said.
The Waqf largely refuses to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the site
and usually conducts its business directly with the Jerusalem
municipality. As such Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski invited Adnan
Husseini, head of the Muslim Waqf, for a meeting last week to discuss
the tensions, though the invitation has so far reportedly gone unanswered.