Record Number of Jews Visit Temple Mount on Tisha B'av In
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What Happens When an Imam Calls for Killing Jews? Read More on Page 20 August 4, 2017 | 12 Av 5777 Vol. 14, Iss. 30www.JewishVoiceNY.com $1 Record Number of Jews Visit Temple Mount on Tisha B’Av in Aftermath of Arab Rioting More than 1300 Jews braved a searing heat wave to visit the Temple Mount on Tisha B’av, while thousands more sat on the floor – a traditional Jewish sign of mourning – at the Western Wall Plaza to commemorate the destruction of ancient Jerusalem by the Roman Empire in the year 70 CE. By: Andrew Friedman the Temple Mount in Jerusalem on three Jews being taken into custody. We demand the officer be removed leave identification at the checkpoint. Tuesday, after the three had allegedly As footage of the incident shows, af- immediately, and we intend to use ev- To accommodate the large number ore than 1300 Jews braved clashed with a group of Arabs who ter the three had already been pulled ery possible means [to see the officer of Jewish visitors, police allowed large a searing heat wave to visit they claim attacked them near the exit to the ground, an arresting officer used removed].” groups to enter the site, a practice they the Temple Mount on Ti- of the holy site. a stun-gun to neutralize one of the Throughout the morning, hundreds usually frowned upon, and eventually sha B’av, while thousands arrestees. of people stood in line adjacent to the limited the visitors’ presence on the Mmore sat on the floor – a traditional The Honenu legal-help organization Mughrabi Gate, the only entrance to Mount to an abbreviated route. Jewish sign of mourning – at the West- Entering the ramp leading has provided an attorney to assist the the Temple Mount for non-Muslims, The event, the largest visit by Jews ern Wall Plaza to commemorate the to the Mount, Jewish visitors arrestees during police questioning. to visit the site. Entering the ramp to the Temple Mount in years, comes destruction of ancient Jerusalem by passed through metal A Honenu spokesperson, con- leading to the Mount, Jewish visitors on the heels of weeks of tension sur- the Roman Empire in the year 70 CE. detectors and thorough demned the behavior of the officers in- passed through metal detectors and rounding the holy site. On July 14, One person, a 15-year-old boy, was security checks to ensure no volved in the incident, and demanded thorough security checks to ensure three Israeli-Arabs exited the Mount at lightly wounded when a Muslim wor- forbidden items, including the officer who used his stun-gun be no forbidden items, including prayer Lions Gate and killed two policemen, shipper threw a chair at him. He was prayer books, religious items removed from active duty. books, religious items and Israeli flags, leading Israel to place metal detectors given first aid by security officials and and Israeli flags, made it up to “On Tisha B’Av, the day that Israel made it up to the Mount. On the ramp and security cameras at the site. did not require further treatment. The the Mount. mourns the destruction [of the Tem- leading up to the gate, officers briefed But Jordanian-funded Islamic offi- man was not arrested. ple], Jewish rights are being abused visitors on visitation rules, including cials (Waqf) charged with overseeing In addition, six people were ejected in the streets of Jerusalem. An officer prohibitions on praying and bowing for violating the rules. Police arrest- During the arrest, officers used tased an arrestee who was lying on down. Read More on Page 11 ed three Jews shortly after they left stun-guns to neutralize one of the the ground for absolutely no reason. Jewish visitors were also required to PAGE 2 The Jewish Voice AUGUST 4, 2017 AUGUST 4, 2017 The Jewish Voice NEW YORK PAGE 3 MTA Chairman Joe Lhota Spars with Mayor deBlasio Over Photo-Op By: Yehuda Sagan with de Blasio this month after spokesman Eric Phillips backed subway signal system, cleaning the Mayor undercut the MTA up the MTA Chairman’s criti- up subway stations, and adding etropolitan Transit Chairman’s proposed ban on cism of the delay. more cars to subway platforms. Authority (MTA) eating on the subway, a right “Trains shouldn’t be stopped On July 23, Lhota responded Chairman Joseph de Blasio said commuters were for anyone," Phillips said. "City strongly to de Blasio’s sugges- Lhota expressed entitled too. Lhota criticized de Hall staff certainly wouldn’t stop tion that the Chairman’s stance Mchagrin this past Wednesday af- Blasio’s remarks at the time as a train and we wouldn’t want on NYC’s contributions to the ter Mayor Bill de Blasio stopped “incendiary.” one stopped on our behalf, even MTA “makes me no sense.” an R train for a photo op and As for the recent photo-op, for mere seconds." "What we need is leadership, conversation with commuters. De Blasio spokesperson denied Lhota is currently facing in- not photo ops,” Lhota shot back “No one has the right to hold the administration’s responsibil- tense pressure to resolve the later that day. “The Mayor's a train, at all, plain and simple," ity for the roughly three-and-a- NYC subway crisis, having been comments today were com- Lhota said Wednesday, accord- half-minute delay it reported- tasked with a 30-day window pletely disingenuous knowing ing to a Crain’s report. "I'm go- ly caused, according to Daily by Governor Andrew Cuomo that the MTA is set to present ing to need to investigate what I News, which broke the story. to develop a “rescue plan” after its 30-day overhaul plan this read in the paper this morning, “If for someone reason the Cuomo’s declared state of emer- week. We know we have a prob- because it's unacceptable. No train was being held it certain- gency. So far, the plan being de- lem and our job now is to fix one should stop the train for any ly wasn't being held by us," the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) Chairman Joseph Lhota veloped by Lhota and his staff it. It would best for the people single individual to get on. This spokesman said. "We don't run expressed chagrin this past Wednesday after Mayor Bill de includes the MTA’s hiring of of New York City if everyone is the people's system." the subways." Blasio stopped an R train for a photo op and conversation with over 7,000 new employees, re- stepped up and worked together This is Lhota’s second clash According to Crain’s, Lhota commuters. vamping the decades-old NYC in those efforts." Cuomo Launches Salvo Against Trump For Stalled Infrastructure and “Hateful” Rhetoric By: Menachem Rephun has fueled speculation regard- mentalism, and from the very The Governor suggested that, ing a possible 2020 run) asked, beginning, it has always been when it comes to the Gateway ew York Governor according to a Crain’s report about dividing people." Accord- project, the Trump administra- Andrew Cuomo took this week. “$1 trillion. Where is ing to Crain’s, Cuomo’s critical tion has no clearly-defined plan. aim at President Don- it? What happened to it? It was remarks drew uproarious ap- “In terms of the funding go- ald Trump last Thurs- the single best idea that I heard plause from his audience. ing forward, Gateway for exam- Nday for the latter’s failure to de- come from his campaign, and Cuomo also expressed some ple, I don’t know what the plan liver a $1 trillion infrastructure now it's disappeared. We can't anxiety about the Trump ad- is," he observed. "I don’t think package, and his controversial lose it. And we especially can't ministration’s sidestepping on they know what the plan is." announcement that the U.S. lose the Gateway project." the Gateway project, which in- Cuomo suggested that a fail- military will no longer accept In addition to the stalled in- volves the creation of a new rail ure to repair the tunnel could transgender servicemembers frastructure project (unlikely tunnel across the Hudson to re- potentially cause “a collapse of in its ranks. The attack was to happen until next year due place the current, decrepit one. the Northeast economy.” noteworthy as the most direct to other issues such as health Trump’s budget proposal cut out The Governor blasted the Cuomo, a Democrat, has made care reform), Cuomo took aim funding for the project, which is rhetoric of Trump and many against Trump, referring to the at Trump’s apparent ban this expected to cost $13 billion. others on the political right as President specifically by name. week on transgender service “New York State has stepped being filled with negativity and Speaking at a meeting of civ- members. The announcement New York Governor Andrew Cuomo took aim at President up and we have committed $5 hatred. ic and business leaders, Cuomo caught the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Donald Trump last Thursday for the latter’s failure to deliver billion to Gateway, and I am “Get those immigrants out, said that in his view, Trump had and many others, off guard, with a $1 trillion infrastructure package, and his controversial proud of it, and I think it's a put up a wall, they’re taking failed to live up to his main plat- questions swirling regarding its announcement that the U.S. military will no longer accept fair investment for the state to you,” Cuomo said, ostensibly form of infrastructure and job practical implementation.