Temple Mount is Closed for Non-Muslim Visitors After Arab Youth Riots

TEL AVIV (Sputnik) — Israeli police have closed the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem to non-Muslim visitors for three days following riots by Arab youths, the country's police spokesman Michael Zingerman said Tuesday.

"The Israeli police took a decision today to close the Temple Mount to tourists and Jews after assessing the situation. The Mount is also to be closed on Wednesday and Thursday," Zingerman told RIA Novosti.

Since Sunday, police have arrested 26 Arab youths suspected of creating unrest and disorder at the Temple Mount. The suspects allegedly threw rocks, shoes and chairs at small groups of Jews visiting the temple complex. The youths were reportedly protesting against the Israeli authorities failure to adhere to the tradition of closing the religious site to non-Muslims in the last days of the holy Islamic month of Ramadan.

Israel has been reassuring the Arab world that the Temple Mount, which houses Islam’s third holiest site, the Al-Aqsa Mosque, has a status quo according to which only Muslims can pray around the mount while representatives of other religions can only visit the shrine.