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Apr 4, 2017
Changes in attitude on Har Habayit
I recently went up to Har Habayit, after about 8 months since my last visit. While Har Habayit is the same, there is a lot different in the situation of Har Habayit.
The police officers controlling the area have been changed. While the procedures were more or less the same, the police were pleasant and we were not made to feel like criminals. While we waited to be allowed up the police officers chatted with us and smiled and said a number of times that the more people that come the more we will see improvements and were very encouraging to get more people to join the groups. The police processed us quickly instead of making us wait behind the tourists, and they were barking orders at us about different things.
On the Har itself the polcie were friendly, though they enforced the rules and did not let anyone pray. There were more police surrounding us than I ever remember from previous visits, and also more waqf agents. At one point I counted 21, police and waqf agents, around us, that I could see. And they stayed with us and surrounded us very tightly.
The changes have largely been for the better and I hope the situation for Jews on Har Habayit continues to improve.
The police officers controlling the area have been changed. While the procedures were more or less the same, the police were pleasant and we were not made to feel like criminals. While we waited to be allowed up the police officers chatted with us and smiled and said a number of times that the more people that come the more we will see improvements and were very encouraging to get more people to join the groups. The police processed us quickly instead of making us wait behind the tourists, and they were barking orders at us about different things.
On the Har itself the polcie were friendly, though they enforced the rules and did not let anyone pray. There were more police surrounding us than I ever remember from previous visits, and also more waqf agents. At one point I counted 21, police and waqf agents, around us, that I could see. And they stayed with us and surrounded us very tightly.
The changes have largely been for the better and I hope the situation for Jews on Har Habayit continues to improve.
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Rabbi Myers went up for the first time yesterday with a group from Menorat HaMaor. In his summary video about the experience he said something very similar. He didn't feel that there was any hostility. The police presented the rules that they are obligated to enforce in such a way to hint to the group what they could/should get away with. Rabbi Myers was even to squeeze in a short 'shiur' while up on Har HaBayit.
ReplyDeleteIts so nice and i am so thankful to those police officers that they are enforcing the law in a more pleasant way that Jews cannot pray on Har Habayit....reminds me of when Chamas went through a stage of firing rockets during the day and then resumed doing them at night and everyone thought it was an improvement. Please remove this Rafi or change the wording. This is not an improvement...it's a tragedy
ReplyDeleteI disagree. the change in attitude an approach is very big and makes a big difference. I hope more changes come, and as the police said repeatedly, the more people that go up, the more changes will happen naturally.
ReplyDelete