Temple Mount activists angry as police say site closed to Jews on Jerusalem Day

Temple Mount activists express outrage after the Israel Police confirms the Jerusalem Old City holy site will be closed to Jews on Jerusalem Day, the anniversary of Israel taking control over the compound during the Six Day War in 1967, for the first time in 30 years.

The contested site — the holiest to Jews and third-holiest to Muslims, who refer to it as the Noble Sanctuary or the Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound — is closed to non-Muslims on the last few days of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. That coincides this year with Jerusalem Day, which will be marked on June 1.

Police’s Jerusalem district says the site will be closed to Jews and tourists “for reasons of public safety and public order.”

The right-wing Students for the Temple Mount group says “we won’t stand idly by any more in the face of discrimination against Jews at their holy site, definitely not on the day of this precious site’s liberation.”

The group calls on politicians “dedicated to values of democracy, freedom of worship and freedom of access” to come to Jerusalem and demand access to the Temple Mount, a flashpoint that has been the reason cited for many Palestinian terror attacks.

Jews are allowed to access the site for short visits at certain hours during weekdays, but are closely monitored to prevent them from praying or publicly displaying Jewish or Israeli symbols.

Last year, more than 2,000 Jews visited the site on Jerusalem Day.