Temple Mount reportedly to close to Jews until Ramadan’s end

Reports swirling in Hebrew-language media indicate that police will close the Temple Mount to Jewish visitors starting Thursday or Friday, and will only allow them back following the end of Ramadan and the Eid holiday, nearly two weeks later.

Police regularly close the site to non-Muslims for the last few days of Ramadan, and analysts say the length of the restriction varies from year to year.

The move appears aimed at calming tensions that have erupted amid Palestinian riots on the site against Jews stepping foot in the compound.

But the announcement sets nationalists alight with anger against the government.

“The government of Israel has given in to the enemy,” tweets right-wing commentator Eran Segal.

Israel Hayom pundit Ariel Kahana tweets that the move shows “weakness” by leaders who already “got slapped on the other cheek.”

A group representing nationalists seeking increased Jewish rights on the holy site accuses the government of “folding severely after years of progress.”

“We call on the government to reconsider, rid the Temple Mount of terror and allow Jews to ascend any day all day,” the group says.