While the absolute numbers are not yet where the should be, there was a notable 35% increase in the number of Jews visiting the Temple Mount during Passover this year.
The Temple Mount is the holiest site in the world for the Jewish People. It is the location of the first two Temples, and the future site of the third Temple.
1,373 Jews went up to the Temple Mount during the Passover holiday this year, only 50 were denied entrance by the police.
Police arrested or evicted only 9 out of those 1,373, representing a significant decrease in police action against Jewish visitors compared to previous years.
In 2016, 1015 Jews went up, 60 were denied entrance, and 43 Jews were arrested or evicted.
In 2015, a mere 650 Jews went up to the Temple Mount, while 130 were denied entrance by the police.
A large amount of Jewish visitors are expected to go up today, Isru Chag – the day after Passover, according to the Temple blog. Opening hours for Jews are from 7:30 AM to 11 AM and again from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM.
During Passover, Jewish groups were limited to 35 Jews per group. On Tuesday, Isru Chag, groups of up to 44 Jews will be allowed up.
In an unusual move, during Passover Israeli police prevented the entry of young Muslims they suspected of planning violence against the Jewish visitors into the Temple Mount.
As a result, Arab violence and attacks against the Jewish visitors was contained, and the police did not close the Temple Mount to Jewish visitors even once, as they normally do when the Arabs start rioting.
On Sunday, 495 Jews went up to the Temple Mount, the Muslims claim the number was 519. This is the largest number of Jews in a single day since the tradition of going up to the Temple Mount was restarted. There were very long lines on the Mughrabi Bridge, which leads to the only entrance onto the Temple Mount that Jews are permitted to enter.
