Michael Puah, the talmid at Yeshivat Merkaz HaRav Kook who was arrested for singing Hatikvah on Har Habayis, has been distanced from the holy site for two weeks by a court. He was held by police overnight and then remanded in a Jerusalem court.

The Jerusalem Magistrate Court decided the young man must distance himself from Har Habayis for fifteen days in line with an Israel Police request. Justice David Shaul stated “The suspect went onto Har Habayis with permission, and behaved in a fashion that can lead to disturbing the tranquility of the public. He does not have a criminal record. I saw the substance of the investigation, including two videos which were shown to the and I am satisfied there is reasonable suspicion that the respondent’s behavior was indeed intending to create a disturbance.

“The video shows the defendant spoke to his friend’s camera, gave an explanation and then turned and began singing Hatikvah. This act was not connected [to any ongoing event] and it is not clear why he chose this time and place for his actions.

“He told interrogators he visits Har Habayis once monthly, and he has signed a written pledge not to violate the court order which includes any form of demonstration or outside the Har Habayis area, including the entry of flags and other objects or singing Hatikvah on Har Habayis in the circumstances described during these tense times in which we exist today. An act of minor violence and incitement has substance and meaning and I am satisfied that this is a demonstrative act under the circumstances”, thereby deciding to grant the police request to distance him for 15 days.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)