Mother of slain teen Hallel Ariel wants Temple Mount memorial

The mother of Hallel Yaffa Ariel, the 13-year-old Jewish girl killed in her bed, is seeking permission to hold a memorial ceremony for her daughter on the Temple Mount.

Ynet says Rina Ariel asked permission from Netanyahu for a 250-strong group, comprising the Ariel family and friends and supporters, to ascend to the Temple Mount on Tuesday.

“We and Hallel have always felt a deep connection to the Temple Mount. We visited it and will continue to do so, as we believe that it is the house of God, and that it gives strength and life to each and every house in Israel,” she says in a letter to Netanyahu.

“And as it is only from there that all deficits can be filled, it is only from there that we will receive any sense of solace. For this reason we are asking to perform the mitzvah of visiting the Temple Mount and praying there for the ascent of Hallel’s soul this coming Tuesday, with 250 people who have pledged to join and comfort us. It is very important to me that the event be coordinated with the police and not carried out in any manner of confrontation,” she continues.

“Just recently, 200,000 Muslims performed a mass prayer at the site. Would a Jewish group comprising a tenth of that number not be allowed to convene there for a single hour?”

— JTA