Itongadol/AJN.- Members of Islamist movement are accused of setting up learning program on Temple Mount that caused public disturbances.
A group of 16 East Jerusalem residents have been arrested by the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the Israel police on suspicion of being part of a Hamas cell operating in eastern neighborhoods of the city and the Temple Mount, the security service stated on Tuesday.
The Shin Bet said that the 16 suspects also includes activists from the northern branch of the Israel Islamic movement, who were part of a collaboration with Hamas at the Temple Mount compound.
The 16 suspects were "prominent operatives with Hamas in East Jerusalem and members of its operations branch and among the leaders of its activities at the Temple Mount", the Shin Bet said.
The suspects named by the Shin Bet include 39-year-old Rami Zachariya Ibrahim Barakeh, who they say is a senior Hamas member in east Jerusalem, and served a prison term for membership in the organization. Three other main suspects include a resident of Abu Tor, and two brothers from the Old City of Jerusalem, all of whom served prison terms in the past for being members of Hamas.
The Shin Bet said that while investigating the cell they found that the Islamic Movement was operating educational courses on the Temple Mount and paying people to maintain a presence on the Mount, in order to "increase the tension and form disturbances, especially during Jewish holidays". They added that the courses were a major contributing factor to recent disturbances on and around the Mount.
The Shin Bet added that the study program was operated in line with Hamas directives, and the security organization said that as evidence of this, a video online shows Hamas Prime Minister in the Gaza Strip Ismail Haniyeh praising the study program on the Temple Mount and saying that his organization is funding it.