After yet another round of Palestinian riots and rock-throwing erupted on the Temple Mount this week, Police announced on Tuesday that the holy site would be closed to all non-Muslim tourists for three days in order to “maintain the quiet on the mount and to prevent rioting”, said Jerusalem District Police spokesperson Luba Samri.
According to Islamic officials, the recent riots were provoked when Israel allowed tourists, including Jews, Christians to enter the Temple Mount compound, a breach of the usual tradition which limits visitation rights to Muslim worshippers during the last ten days of the Islamic holiday of Ramadan.
The final ten days, which began on Sunday, are considered to be the most solemn for Muslims and therefore a time of heightened sensitivity.
Though police forces had thus far managed to maintain control, on Tuesday one of the stones thrown by the rioters struck an elderly Jewish woman at the Western Wall plaza which is overlooked by the mount.
The 73-year-old suffered minor injuries and was immediately treated on site.
The tense situation is now “under control” according to a police spokesman.
Muslim visitors, meanwhile, will continue to have unlimited access to the site, which is considered the third holiest in Islam.
