‘Passover Sacrifice’ – Jewish Settlers Try to Smuggle Goats into Al Aqsa Compound 

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

This year, the Returning to the Temple Mount group offered financial rewards of up to 50,000 shekels (over $13,000) for those who are able to succeed in carrying out a slaughter in the Al-Aqsa compound.

Scores of Jewish settlers broke into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem on Monday under heavy protection from the Israeli police, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

At the same time, heavily-armed soldiers increased security and tightened restrictions at the gates leading to the Old City ahead of extremist calls for animals to be sacrificed in the mosque for the Jewish Passover.

Around 172 settlers raided the mosque from the Mughariba Gate and performed Talmudic rituals there, according to WAFA.

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The so-called Temple Movement groups have called on their followers to carry out massive incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque at midnight before the Jewish Passover, on the twenty-third of this month, to offer the “sacrifice,” the report said.

Calls intensified this year as the groups succeeded in the past few years in carrying out many of the religious rituals in the compound such as the blowing of the trumpet, issuing plant offerings, and performing prayers, according to Al Jazeera.

Supporters of these groups believe that the sacrifice is considered the culmination of these rituals in establishing the “Temple Mount” on the site of the mosque.

At least 25 Zionist fanatics were arrested by Israeli occupation authorities as they attempted to sacrifice goats at the Al-Aqsa compound. One animal was found in a baby carriage.

The power of these zealots has increased dramatically over the last 2 decades, but the Israeli… pic.twitter.com/H7WPjSPJZu

— Dan Cohen (@dancohen3000) April 22, 2024

Financial Reward

This year, the “Returning to the Temple Mount” group offered financial rewards of up to 50,000 shekels (over $13,000) for those who are able to succeed in carrying out a slaughter in the Al-Aqsa compound.

“We call on all the people of Israel to take a goat or sheep up to one year old and bring the offering to the Temple Mount in the hope that we will be able to slaughter it properly this year,” was the call from one of the groups.

Another publication reportedly said: “Do not miss the Passover sacrifice. The people of Israel will go up to offer the sacrifice on the Temple Mount. It is forbidden to abandon the Passover sacrifice.”

Israeli settlers attempted to smuggle a lamp in a plastic bag into al-Aqsa Mosque to slaughter it inside the compound as part of a Talmudic Jewish ritual.

It’s important to mention that these provocative acts are fully backed and supported by Israeli far-right ministers and… pic.twitter.com/dkBbJ14UDh

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) April 22, 2024

Israeli police have detained 13 settlers for attempting to smuggle goats into the Al-Asqa compound, according to The Times of Israel.

“The suspects, all of whom were between the ages of 13 and 21, were caught with goats in their possession, including one that was being hidden inside a baby carriage and another inside a shopping bag,” the paper said, citing a police statement.

“We urge the public not to provide a platform for extremist elements advocating or attempting to violate the law and order,” the statement reportedly said.

Yearly Request

The Returning to the Temple Mount group “makes a request each year to carry out the ritual, but is repeatedly denied by authorities as most Israeli security officials believe that it would be seen as a major change to the religious site’s status quo and spark fierce backlash from across the region,” the report added.

It said similar incidents occured last year prior to the Passover resulting in clashes with Muslm worshippers at the holy site.

Right-wing Jews are planning to slaughter red heifers at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem in the hope of fulfilling a Jewish prophecy. But there are fears this could strengthen calls for the mosque’s demolition pic.twitter.com/op2hERMXUK

— Palestine Info Center (@palinfoen) April 22, 2024

Israeli politician Yitzhak Pindrus, in an interview on Knesset TV last week called on Jews to perform the sacrifice, and “eat it on the same night in the old city.”

“But at the end of the day, we are hoping that soon the Third Temple will be built there, and we’ll be able to eat there from the Passover sacrifices.”

(PC, WAFA, AJA)