Israel’s highest court on Friday reportedly ordered the government to explain why Jews must go through electronic security checks before alighting Jerusalem’s Temple Mount holy site when Muslims worshippers are not required to do so.
After a deadly terror attack in July, police announced that Muslims would have to pass through electronic security gates to access the compound, also known as the Haram Al-Sharif. After weeks of protest and outcry from the Muslim world, Israel relented and removed the installations.A clutch of right-wing petitioners, led by lawyer Itamar Ben-Gvir, challenged the government on why the checks were removed for Muslims but not Jews, the national-religious Srugim website reported.The website did not quote from the Court’s ruling but said that the court gave senior ministers, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, fifty days to respond to the petition.
The petitioners reportedly claimed that the government does not have the authority to place the airport-style electronic gates only at the entrance points for Jews and tourists to access the compound, known to Muslims as the Haram Al-Sharif and which also contains the Al-Aqsa mosque.Israel’s installation of the apparatus – after the July 13 terror attack that left two policemen dead – sparked weeks of rolling protests and demonstrations that spilled out from East Jerusalem into the West Bank, during which several youth were killed by police fire, and provoked fiery condemnations from across the Muslim world.Ultimately, after intensive talks involving the United States, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority, Israel relented and dismantled the structures and security cameras.Former Knesset member Michael Ben-Ari, activist Baruch Marzel and leader of the anti-Arab group Lehava are among the petitioners, Srugim reported.