During the annual Passover priestly blessings at the Temple Mount this morning at the Western Wall, there was a relatively low turnout amid the recent terrorist attacks and rioting on the Temple Mount, with numbers estimated to be around 100-150,000 people.
The Western Wall square is usually packed during the event, with even larger crowds lining up on the roads leading to the Western Wall. In some years nearly half a million Jews have come to the spiritual event. This year the crowd was much smaller. Throughout Saturday night, Arabs began barricading themselves in the Al-Aqsa Mosque and announced that they would remain there for the night, events that usually lead to riots and confrontations; leading the large crowds that typically attend the Jewish holy event to rethink their visit to the Western Wall. The entire Israeli capital has not been quiet either with explosions being heard in the Abu Tor and Silwan neighborhoods as a result of Molotov cocktails being thrown at Jewish neighbors.
The ancient ritual of the 'Priestly Blessing' performed at Jerusalem's Western Wall. 🇮🇱
— Shurat HaDin - שורת הדין (@ShuratHaDin) April 9, 2023
ברכת הכהנים העתיקה בכותל המערבי בירושלים 🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/9XqYojJysw
In addition, police officers of the Sheft Station of the Jerusalem District, arrested six suspects for involvement in throwing stones at passing vehicles at the Neve Ya'akov intersection in Jerusalem. With the assistance and direction of the observers of the control center of the Jerusalem district, Sheft police officers who were operating on the scene attempted to make contact, identified the suspects, 5 minors and an adult, residents of East Jerusalem, and arrested them.
📸 𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 | Thousands of Jewish worshippers packed the Western Wall Plaza in Jerusalem today for the Passover priestly blessing #birkatkhanim
— Jewish News Syndicate (@JNS_org) April 9, 2023
LEARN MORE 👉 https://t.co/0iw7mTXwdS pic.twitter.com/Rxdv9grBoQ
The six suspects who were arrested by the police were transferred to the Special Investigation Headquarters of the Jerusalem District for investigation, in order to complete the investigation, and will be brought to the court to discuss the extension of their detention.
Despite the incidents recorded by the police, the security forces in Israel’s capital are trying to convey security and business as usual. In a statement issued by the police, it was stated that there were no unusual incidents in the area of the Western Wall. They also said, "Since the morning hours, the Jerusalem District police officers and border patrol troops have been working with the assistance of national reinforcements, in an increased preparation throughout the city of Jerusalem.
Thousands of Jewish worshippers gathered at the city’s Western Wall, the holiest place where Jews can pray, for a mass priestly benediction prayer service for the Passover holidayhttps://t.co/X918MY0drq
— TIME (@TIME) April 9, 2023
“As part of the special police preparation under the command of the Jerusalem Police Department, the police are working to secure, maintain order, and regulate the movement of the public to the various events taking place all at the same time, including the arrival of the many participants who have already been visiting the Western Wall since the morning hours for the blessing prayers of the priests, the arrival of Muslim worshipers and visitors to the Temple Mount, as well as the Easter events taking place these days in the Old City of Jerusalem."
