Police are on high alert for the Priestly Blessing which will be conducted in the presence of tens of thousands of people at the Western Wall this morning (Sunday) during the intermediate days of Passover.
Approximately 2,500 police officers are being deployed in Jerusalem today.
During the morning hours, a situational assessment will be conducted regarding how to deal with the Arabs who have barricaded themselves on the Temple Mount. The police have so far avoided entering the mosques and removing them by force. The police fear that they will try to harm the worshipers at the Western Wall and interfere with the Priestly Blessing.
The Western Wall Heritage Foundation stated that during the Priestly Blessing, a special prayer will also be held for the safety and security of the citizens of Israel and the nation's security forces.
The morning prayer will begin at 8:45 am, with the Priestly Blessing expected to take place at 9:15 am. A second morning prayer will be held at 10:15 am, with the Priestly Blessing expected to take place at 10:30 am.
The ceremony will be attended by the Chief Rabbis of Israel, Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef and Rabbi David Lau, and by the Rabbi of the Western Wall, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz.
The Old City of Jerusalem will be closed to private vehicles during the entire holiday of Passover, which ends on Wednesday night. Visitors must arrive by public transportation. Further crowd control regulations may be imposed if congestion rises above a certain level,