Israeli court questions ban on Jewish prayer at Al-Aqsa compound

Court docket overturns a police order barring three Jews from holy website after they prayed there in violation of the established order.

FILE PHOTO: Jewish visitors gesture as Israeli security forces secure the area at the compound that houses Al-Aqsa Mosque, known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount, in Jerusalem's Old City
Jewish guests gesture as Israeli safety forces safe the world on the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem's Outdated Metropolis [File: Ammar Awad/Reuters]

A decrease Israeli courtroom has overturned a police order barring three Jews from the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound after they prayed there in violation of understandings with Muslim authorities, questioning the authorized foundation of such enforcement.

The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, positioned in occupied East Jerusalem’s Outdated Metropolis and housing Islam’s third-holiest website, is known as al-Haram al-Sharif, or the Noble Sanctuary, by Muslims. In response to an settlement in place since 1967, non-Muslims are allowed onto the location throughout visiting hours, however they're barred from praying there.

Jews imagine the 35-acre compound is the place the Biblical Jewish temples as soon as stood.

Israel permits Jews to go to on situation they chorus from spiritual rites. However the growing variety of such visits, together with over the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan that coincided this 12 months with the Jewish Passover competition, has stoked the fears of Palestinians, who see this as Israeli makes an attempt to alter the holy website’s delicate established order.

‘A grave assault’

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas issued a press release calling Sunday’s ruling “a grave assault towards the historic established order … and a flagrant problem to worldwide legislation”.

The Jerusalem Justice of the Peace’s Court docket dominated in favour of three appellants who had been banned from the Outdated Metropolis for 15 days for prostrating themselves and intoning a core Jewish prayer on the compound. The ruling quoted police as saying these actions disrupted its officers’ duties and threatened public order.

Eradicating the ban, Choose Zion Saharai stated that whereas he had no intention of interfering in legislation enforcement on the website, “the appellants’ conduct doesn't increase fear of hurt befalling nationwide safety, public security or particular person safety”.

Police had no remark. Eran Schwarz, a lawyer whose agency represented the appellants, stated he anticipated police to contest the ruling. Justice of the Peace’s courts could be overturned by district courts, with Israel’s Supreme Court docket a ultimate course of enchantment.

The ruling got here per week earlier than far-right Israelis are attributable to maintain an annual flag march via the Outdated Metropolis, marking its seize by Israel within the 1967 Center East struggle. Israel later annexed occupied East Jerusalem, a transfer not recognised by a lot of the worldwide neighborhood. The occasion is resented by Palestinians, who need the Outdated Metropolis and different components of occupied East Jerusalem because the capital of their hoped-for future state.

Hamas, a Palestinian group that fought a Gaza struggle with Israel final 12 months that was partly stoked by tensions in occupied East Jerusalem, described the flag march’s deliberate route via a Muslim quarter of the Outdated Metropolis as “including gas to the fireplace”.

“I warn the enemy towards finishing up such crimes,” Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh stated in a televised tackle.

Jordan, a United States-backed Israeli safety associate that serves as custodian of Al-Aqsa, has additionally voiced concern in regards to the Jewish visits to the compound.

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