Otzma Yisrael leaders Dr. Michael Ben-Ari, Baruch Marzel and Itamar Ben-Givir along with Lehava leader Bentzion Gupstein and many others planned to march on Tuesday to the Israeli Arab Municipality of Um el-Fahm, hoping to reach the municipality’s main el-Farouk Mosque, from which the three terrorists who perpetrated the shooting attack on Har Habayis came from. They will demand the closing of the mosque.

Police initially gave the permit for the march, which has since been withdrawn, informing Otzma Yehudit officials they will not be permitted to march. In Um el-Fahm, the announcement was made on Monday night “The right-wing extremists will not be permitted entry and trample our land”.

Dr. Ben-Ari stated, “We will come to the city tomorrow and demonstrate with a demand to close the Farouk Mosque, a hornet’s nest from which incitement is directed against the State of Israel, and we are allowed to incite and encourage terror. The Israeli police show helplessness in Um el-Fahm and there is no reason not to take advantage of the precedent Eldad Yaniv, we will reach the city and demonstrate against the haters of Israel.”

HaKol HaYehudi News reported after the attack that a special prayer service was held in the mosque in memory of the slain terrorists, whom were referred to as “shaheedim”, martyrs.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)