Page 46 - Satan in the Sanctuary

48 Satan in the Sanctuary

lic disturbance. I will do every- for the beginning of the evening
thing to prevent the peace from prayer.
being disturbed." Inside Mograbi Gate were a
Police Minister Shlomo Hillel, small number of police with
in ordering the police to prevent shields, helmets and batons. How-
Jewish prayer on the Temple ever, the police maintained a de-
Mount, cited a Supreme Court cidedly low profile on both sides
decision of 1970 that, while Jews of the gate, both in numbers and
had the right to pray there, the deportment; and their defusing
authorities had the right to with- efforts were successful.
hold that right if its exercise Only an occasional Arabpolice-
would lead to a public disturb- man casually patrolled around
ance. the Temple Mount, the rest of
Solomon said there was no the police keeping their positions
other place in the world where at the gate. Tourists who con-
Jews were prevented from pray- tinued to visit the mosques dur-
ing in a place holy to them. ing the incident sensed the ten-
"We haven't come to demon- sion in the air but did not know
strate, only to pray quietly. I what was happening.
don't think that praying in our At a press conference after-
most holy place is a disturbance wards, Solomon said attempts
of the peace." would be made now on a daily
When one of the Betar leaders basis to pray on the Temple
Mount. Kraus told reporters that
asked whether the police were the ban on Jewish prayer there
unable to preserve the peace if would continue to be enforced.
Jews prayed on the Temple Betar, the Revisionist-Herut
Mount, Kraus said, "At this
stage, no." youth movement, has a nation-
alist rather than religious orien-
After an exchange that lasted tation; and many of the partic-
five minutes, Rabbi Rabinowitz ipants in Sunday's attempted
led the group in the minha pray-in wore the paper skullcaps
prayer, after which they peace- issued at the Western Wall rather
fully dispersed. than headcover of their own.
While this confrontation was Before they mounted the ramp
going on, close to 100 Arab to Mograbi Gate they were ha-
youths were milling about on the rangued by a black-garbed Or-
Temple Mount outside Al-Aksa thodox Jew, who accused them
Mosque, where a smaller number of violating religious law by en-
6
of adult Moslems were waiting tering the Temple Mount.