JERUSALEM (JTA) — The grand mufti of Jerusalem was detained by Israel Police following an incident between Palestinians and Jews at the Temple Mount.
Sheikh Mohammad Hussein was questioned Wednesday and released hours later in connection with Tuesday’s public disturbance in which Muslim worshipers threw rocks and chairs at Jews visiting the site, where the Al-Aksa Mosque is located.
Hussein’s involvement is not known; senior clerics rarely are detained in Jerusalem, according to the Times of Israel.
The scuffle occurred at the start of Jerusalem Day, which marks the reunification of the city during the 1967 Six-Day War. On Wednesday, tens of thousands of Jews flocked to the Western Wall to mark the holiday.
The annual Jerusalem Day Parade through the streets of Jerusalem to the wall, known as the Dance of the Flags, is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon. Part of the parade route goes through eastern Jerusalem, which has raised tensions in the area.
