A senior Hamas leader in Judea and Samaria, Hassan Yousef, was arrested by Israeli police Sunday afternoon, after illegally entering the Temple Mount.
Yousef, a senior leader of the Hamas terror group, illegally exited Judea and Samaria and entered the Temple Mount in Jerusalem in defiance of military orders. Yousef was arrested at a roadblock as he was driving back to his residence in Judea and Samaria.
The Temple Mount was closed on Sunday to Arabs from Judea and Samaria, as well as to Jewish worshippers. Jewish worshippers from a group called Revava attempted to bring thousands of Jews to pray on the Temple Mount, but only a few dozen arrived to participate in a demonstration outside the Temple Mount area.
Yousef’s arrival on the Temple Mount was apparently timed to coincide with the Revava attempt to bring Jews there to pray. “Al Aqsa is in danger,” Yousef told reporters while on the Temple Mount. “The attempts to desecrate Al Aqsa have not ended.”
According to Haaretz, police sources said they had considered forcibly removing Yousef from the Mount, but decided against the move out of fear that it might spark an Arab riot.
It is unclear how Yousef gained access to the Temple Mount which was heavily guarded by 3000 police officers who were called out to prevent Revava activists and Arab residents of Judea and Samaria from ascending to the site of the first and second Jewish Temples.
Right wing MK’s Aryeh Eldad and Uri Ariel of the National Union, and Michael Ratzon and Yehiel Hazan of the Likud were less fortunate. Their attempt to enter the Mount was successfully barred by police.
The Hamas leader’s arrest was a good catch for Israeli law enforcement officials, if he’s interrogated and stays in jail. Hamas has been outlawed in Israel and classified as a terrorist organization in Israel and the United States. Under Israeli law, any person who becomes a member of Hamas is subject to arrest and imprisonment. A senior official of Hamas, such as Yousef, who apparently is involved in the day-to-day operations of the terror group, should be facing years behind bars for his activities.
It remains to be seen, however, how the Israeli security apparatus deals with Yousef’s arrest.
Yousef, a senior leader of the Hamas terror group, illegally exited Judea and Samaria and entered the Temple Mount in Jerusalem in defiance of military orders. Yousef was arrested at a roadblock as he was driving back to his residence in Judea and Samaria.
The Temple Mount was closed on Sunday to Arabs from Judea and Samaria, as well as to Jewish worshippers. Jewish worshippers from a group called Revava attempted to bring thousands of Jews to pray on the Temple Mount, but only a few dozen arrived to participate in a demonstration outside the Temple Mount area.
Yousef’s arrival on the Temple Mount was apparently timed to coincide with the Revava attempt to bring Jews there to pray. “Al Aqsa is in danger,” Yousef told reporters while on the Temple Mount. “The attempts to desecrate Al Aqsa have not ended.”
According to Haaretz, police sources said they had considered forcibly removing Yousef from the Mount, but decided against the move out of fear that it might spark an Arab riot.
It is unclear how Yousef gained access to the Temple Mount which was heavily guarded by 3000 police officers who were called out to prevent Revava activists and Arab residents of Judea and Samaria from ascending to the site of the first and second Jewish Temples.
Right wing MK’s Aryeh Eldad and Uri Ariel of the National Union, and Michael Ratzon and Yehiel Hazan of the Likud were less fortunate. Their attempt to enter the Mount was successfully barred by police.
The Hamas leader’s arrest was a good catch for Israeli law enforcement officials, if he’s interrogated and stays in jail. Hamas has been outlawed in Israel and classified as a terrorist organization in Israel and the United States. Under Israeli law, any person who becomes a member of Hamas is subject to arrest and imprisonment. A senior official of Hamas, such as Yousef, who apparently is involved in the day-to-day operations of the terror group, should be facing years behind bars for his activities.
It remains to be seen, however, how the Israeli security apparatus deals with Yousef’s arrest.