Yehuda Glick, who has been waging for years a personal and public struggle to guarantee Jewish access to the site of the Holy Temple, was told by the site's police commander that he has decided that Glick must undergo psychiatric treatment before being allowed to enter the site.

Glick, chairman of the Organization for Human Rights on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, has sued the police in the past for their refusal to allow him to ascend to the Temple Mount. The Supreme Court ruled that the police must meet with him and formulate arrangements under which he would be permitted to do so.

However, on Sunday morning, on the eve of the final day of the Passover holiday, Glick arrived at the Mughrabi entrance to the Mount – and was informed by police there that he may not enter. They explained to him that this was the decision of the local police commander. Glick went to the office of the commander, Ofer Shumer, who defied the court ruling and told Glick that he-the commander- had reached the conclusion that “you are not a normal person” and that he could therefore not allow him to enter the Temple Mount until after he undergoes psychiatric treatment.

Asked how long this new decision was to be in force, Shumer said, “This is my decision, period.” Shumer turned down Glick’s repeated requests to have the decision put in writing.

Glick later expressed sorrow that the police had “descended to such a level,” adding that “instead of enabling Jews to exercise their legal rights to enter the Temple Mount, and instead of investing their resources to fight against Muslim violence there, the police choose to fighting against those who observe the law, also engaging in petty vengeance against those who fight for Jewish rights to visit the holy site.”

Glick said he plans to file civil suits against the policemen involved in harassing and insulting him.

Some 200 religious Jews, a relatively large number, ascended to the Temple Mount on Sunday, after having made the necessary religious preparations, such as immersing in a ritual bath. However, they were permitted to visit only in groups of ten at a time.

At the same time, the police provided security to a Christian march around the Temple Mount, as it is doing this entire month. Muslims, too, are planning Temple Mount activity: This coming Thursday, they will hold a children’s song festival, with the participation of thousands of children, to cement their ties with the Temple Mount.