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 Riots erupted on the Temple Mount on Sunday, as Muslims celebrating Eid al-Adha (“Festival of Sacrifice”) attempted to prevent Jews from entering. Police ultimately pushed back against the protesters to allow a record-breaking number of Jews to visit the site.

Hundreds of Jews lined up to visit the Temple Mount on the morning of Tisha B’Av, the day on which Jews mourn the destruction of the Temples in Jerusalem, as well as a series of calamities which befell the Jewish people throughout history on the same date.

At approximately 11:30 a.m., the site was closed to Jews, but reopened again in the afternoon for one more hour.

Regular visitors to the site noted that the closure time is usually 11 a.m., but said police held the site open an extra half hour due to the Waqf incitement.

Last year, some 1,400 Jews ascended to the Temple Mount for Tisha B’Av, a record number. However, this year, despite the violence and concerns that Jews would not be given access, more than 1,700 Jews ultimately paid their respects at the holiest site to the Jewish people.

While Israeli authorities have traditionally shown deference to Muslim holidays on the Temple Mount, this Tisha B’Av was different, said Israeli tour guide and Temple Mount enthusiast Shlomo Meir, who was able to visit the site on Sunday.

“This Tisha B’Av’s display of support for Jewish worshippers, like the effort the police made to allow us to go up to the Temple Mount during Jerusalem Day this year, which coincided with the last two days of Ramadan, shows that the Israel Police are really beginning to protect Jewish rights here, with the backing of Israel’s government,” said Meir.

He noted that previous years had seen a total closure of the Temple Mount during the last two days of Ramadan, considered the holiest of that holiday.