Thousands Attend Priestly Blessing Ceremony at Western Wall Under Heavy Security
Police remove two Jewish visitors from Temple Mount for violating visitation rules.
Tens of thousands of people flocked to the Western Wall on Monday morning to attend a priestly blessing ceremony. The prayer was conducted under heavy guard due to security tension in the capital.
Also on Monday morning, police removed two Jewish visitors from the Temple Mount for violating the site's visitation rules, and, apparently, trying to pray there.
Jewish groups entering the Temple Mount are escorted by police. The site is also supervised by the Waqf, the Islamic authority managing the site.
The police said 584 visitors entered the Temple Mount on Monday morning, 453 of them tourists. On Sunday, 153 Jewish visitors entered the site. 13 of them were removed by the police.
The police said in a statement that arrangements were made "to allow all visitors and worshippers, from all faiths and communities, and to exercise their freedom of religion."
Security forces have reinforced their presence in Jerusalem's Old City, mainly near Damascus Gate and the Muslim Quarter.
Unlike in recent years, Jerusalem municipality inspectors did not attempt to stop the sale of food products that are not kosher for Passover by Palestinian vendors near Jaffa Gate.
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