Israel has put its police and security forces on high alert ahead of the Passover and Easter holidays, as thousands of visitors are due to arrive this week.

3,500 police officers will be deployed in Jerusalem to protect the anticipated 150,000 people from around the world who will visit the Western Wall and the Christian Quarter of the Old City.

Police have banned ten Muslim and Jewish extremists from entering the Old City of Jerusalem until the holiday is over. The bans are based on evidence that the individuals intended to disturb the peace or disrupt worshipers.

“Police operations took place to gather information on individuals who are intending to cause disruptions during the Jewish festival,” Police Spokesman Superintendent Micky Rosenfeld said. “The majority of the suspects are Israeli-Arab extremists who planned to cause disturbances on the Temple Mount. At the same time, we issued a number of restraining orders against Jews who intended on coming to the Western Wall area to create disturbances.”

More than 100,000 Jewish people are expected to attend the Priestly Blessing at the Western Wall on the morning of April 13. More than 50,000 Christians are expected to gather for the Holy Fire ceremony at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Christian Quarter on April 15.

The IDF closed the West Bank crossing points into Israel, starting on Monday, April 10 until midnight on Monday, April 17. The IDF said that this closure is standard practice but clarified “with the exception of humanitarian, medical and exceptional cases”.

Thousands of Christian worshipers celebrated Palm Sunday in Jerusalem’s Christian quarter of the Old City on Sunday.  The annual procession from the Mount of Olives to the many churches inside the Old City took place without incident.

(via BICOM)

[Photo: BICOM]