Temple Mount riots
Temple Mount riotsIsrael Police

The Foreign Ministry sent Israel's diplomatic representatives worldwide instructions Sunday on how to deal with criticism of Israel if and when violence on the Temple Mount continues on Monday, during the Sukkot holiday.

The instructions are an indication that Israel expects the rioting to spill over into the holiday.

Ambassadors and consuls are expected to initiate conversations with local counterparts about the riots on the Temple Mount, and present the real version of events, “especially against the background of assessments that more incidents may take place tomorrow.”

Israel expects the representatives to make clear to local diplomats in the countries where they are stationed that may efforts have been made to meet the Muslims halfway, including the lifting of limitations on worshipers at Al Aqsa, which were in place until Eid Al-Adha. The holiday, which began Thursday, ends Sunday.

"The rioters took advantage of the easing of conditions, in order to ascend to the Mount, sleep inside the mosque overnight and go rioting in the morning,” the briefing said.

Israel noted that the forces that repulsed the rioters did not enter the mosque, and did not allow non-Muslims into the Mount, in coordination with the Waqf and the Jordanian authorities.

The Israeli envoys also received photos of the events on the Mount, to help them make clear that police tried to push back the violent mob, but did not initiate any violence of its own.