Jewish groups ascend to Temple Mount for holiday

Palestine Today writes that "Jewish extremist groups" have "stormed" the Temple Mount to "terrorize and intimidate" Muslim worshippers and celebrate the Sukkot holiday.

David Ha'Ivri, spokesman for the Shomron Liaison Office, tweets that he spent 5 hours in Israeli police custody for the crime of praying in the holiest spot in Judaism.

Arutz-7 reports:

Arab policemen arrested two Jews, including a prominent spokesman in Samaria, for allegedly bowing down and praying on the Temple Mount Sunday morning.

Shomron (Samaria) Liaison Spokesman David Ha’Ivri told Arutz Sheva, “We were in a group of 25 men performing the mitzvah of being seen on the Temple Mount during the Sukkot holiday.

“Suddenly, two policemen said a friend and I were bowing down, which they say is forbidden.” Ha’Ivri said the policemen were non-Jews and, responding to Arutz Sheva, identified them as Arabs.

“I told the policemen, ‘Look, there are Arab watch guards here, and they are not making a fuss about it.’ The policemen replied, 'It is forbidden to bow down, and we are just doing our job.'”

He added, “Can you imagine being indicted for bowing down?”

Ha’Ivri said he has ascended the Temple Mount several times a year for the past 20 years and was arrested only once, many years ago.

Abiding by known rules issued by Muslim clerics, Ha’Ivri and the other members of the group did not carry with them any prayer books or religious items, which are forbidden by Jews to being with them when going up to the Temple Mount

.