Tens of thousands flock to the Western Wall for priestly blessing

Tens of thousands of Israelis flock to the Western Wall in Jerusalem for the traditional biannual Priestly Blessing.

The ceremony sees male descendants of the Kohanic priestly caste gathering to recite a benediction. It is performed daily by devout Jews at synagogues throughout Israel, while mass blessings at the Western Wall take place on the festivals of Passover and Sukkot.

The Western Wall is the closest spot to the Temple Mount where Jews can legally pray. Though they are allowed to visit the Mount, where two ancient Jewish temples stood, Jews are not permitted to pray there under the status quo in place for decades.

Jewish visits to the Mount, today occupied by the Al Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock, often spark tensions, and the blessing ceremony at the Western Wall below took place amid tight security.

Police arrested one Jewish teenager this morning on suspicion that he had prostrated himself while going up to the Temple Mount.