Monday, May 10, 2021, 11:06 AM
Dear friends,
Some additional updates regarding the situation:
The events unfolding in Jerusalem are part of a planned, violent gathering of rioters led by the terrorist group Hamas and the Palestinian Authority. Their goal is to incite violence and unrest in the city of Jerusalem for political gain.
This week’s events are part of a wave of terror led by the terrorist organization Hamas, resulting from reckless and irresponsible incitement to commit violence. Senior members of the terrorist organization Hamas have made public calls for violence. In recent days, terrorists in Gaza have launched rockets and incendiary balloons, causing widespread wild fires and severe damage. The head of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) published a call to escalate the Intifada, and encourage the public to sustain their violent actions and continue the fight.
The heads of the Palestinian Authority have consistently expressed support for the continuing of riots. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, praised the rioters for their steady aggression. The Palestinian Prime Minister, Mohammed Shtayyeh, condemned Israel and has threatened severe implications for Israel’s actions against rioters.
Starting in the early hours of last night, Palestinian rioters prepared large piles of rocks, stones, steel beams, and firecrackers with the intent of using them against Israeli police forces and Jews in general.
On the Temple Mount, rioters created barricades and shelters to be used during altercations with police. Stones and rocks were transferred in wheelbarrows and scattered in piles across the area. Rioters prepared to use houses of worship, including inside Al Aqsa Mosque, as their bases without considering the holy nature of the location.
Around 8:00am IST, rioters inside Al Aqsa began throwing rocks outside Al Aqsa Mosque. Around 8:30am, rioters began attacking the police outpost with stones and fireworks, risking the lives of officers present. Due to imminent danger, Israeli police were forced to disperse the rioters from the area. The violent unrest at the Temple Mount continues to unfold in waves.
Palestinian rioters attacked individuals simply passing near the Temple Mount as well various locations throughout the city. Israeli police have dispersed rioters throughout the city.
Arab media networks, as well as social media posts from the Temple Mount, are fueling the already heightened emotions by broadcasting live and spreading false information. Qatari and Turkish television networks are the most prominent in the spreading of misinformation. For instance, the press published false information claiming there had been one fatality at the Temple Mount. This false claim was then intensified and shared on social media.
In spite of the violence, Israel Security Forces are not closing the Temple Mount to Ramadan prayers.
Israel has taken every measure possible to maintain calm and prevent escalated tensions and violence. The Supreme Court decided to postpone the hearing of the evictions in Sheikh Jarrah, and the Police Commissioner has also decided to restrict the entrance of Jews to the Temple Mount. All of these efforts to alieve tensions have been answered with more violence and acts of terror.
Additionally, the Israeli Police have decided to change the course of today’s Jerusalem Day Flag March, preventing the procession from going through the Muslim Quarter and Damascus Gate.
Since the unification of Jerusalem in 1967, Israel has gone to great efforts to allow for the freedoms of religion and worship for all faiths in the Holy City for hundreds of millions of people—Jews, Christians, and Muslims— across the world.
What is happening in Jerusalem is not a struggle over the freedom of worship but rather politically motivated violence.
Israel will not allow a group of violent rioters to prevent Jewish worshipers from visiting the Western Wall or hindering anyone’s right to worship freely.
The responsibility for the violence unfolding in Jerusalem falls entirely on the Palestinian Authority, the terrorist organization Hamas, and all other terror groups.
We call on the international community to assist in restoring calm to Jerusalem and to prevent further incitement by terrorist groups and the Palestinian Authority.