Arabs say Al Aqsa Mosque in “danger” from red heifers, Palestinians call for uprising
by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – As Palestinians in Gaza called for violence against Jewish Israelis, Arab media announced that the recent arrival of five red heifers in Israel represents a “danger” to the Al Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, Israel365 reports. The five cows were brought to Israel by the US-based religious group Boneh Israel for the purpose of reinstating a Torah commandment associated with the Red Heifer.
The recent arrival of the cows coincides with the Jewish High Holy Days being celebrated amid heightened tensions and clashes between Palestinians and the Israel Defense Forces. Jewish religious rituals such as blowing the shofar on the Temple Mount are seen as highly provocative to Palestinians: red heifers’ arrival is a particularly serious provocation.
Associated with Lebanese Hezbollah terror group, the “Al Manar” Arab channel warned in a broadcast that Jewish Temple organizations are preparing to make sacrifices on the Temple Mount and to “Judaize the holy mosques,” Israel365 reports.
Additionally, at a rally in Gaza last week, several Palestinian speakers announced Jews would be holding religious rituals on the Temple Mount during the High Holy Days, and called for a general uprising inside Israel by way of response, Israel365 reports.
However, Rabbi Yosef Berger, the rabbi of King David’s Tomb on Mount Zion, told Israel365 that Arab concerns are misplaced. “The ceremony of the Red Heifer may only be performed at a specific location on the Mount of Olives,” Berger said. “It is not performed on the Temple Mount, as they claimed. Also, the young cows that were brought to Israel were less than one year old and must be at least two years old to be suitable for the ceremony.”