Hamas threatens violence if Jews offer Passover sacrifice on Temple Mount

Returning to the Mount offered 10,000 shekels to anyone successfully sacrificing a lamb on Passover eve.

By David Hellerman, World Israel News

Hamas and other Gaza terror groups threatened violence if a Jewish group follows through with plans to offer sacrifices on the Temple Mount on Friday, the eve of Passover.

The Returning to the Mount movement, which wants Israel to take back full control of the Temple Mount, publicized on Facebook a cash prize of 10,000 shekels to anyone who successfully offers a lamb that day.

For several years, police have refused permission for Returning the Mount to offer sacrifices. This is the first time the organization has offered incentives. Rafael Morris, head of the Returning to the Mount movement, has been banned by authorities from entering the Old City.

The group also offered 800 shekels to anyone who arrives with a lamb, and 400 shekels to any Jew who simply shows up at the Temple Mount, even if they are arrested.

Ofir Gendelman, a spokesman for Prime Minister Naftali Bennett tweeted in Arabic, “Allegations that there are Jews intending to slaughter sacrifices on Haram al-Sharif are completely false and have been promoted by Palestinian terror organizations and others in order to incite.”

The call for sacrifices was denounced by Jordan, the Palestinian Authority and Hamas.

“We stress that this represents a dangerous escalation that crosses all red lines, as it is a direct assault on the belief and feelings of our people and our nation during this holy month,” Hamas threatened.

In the times of the Jewish Temples, Jews would join together in groups on the eve of Passover to sacrifice a lamb, which would be eaten during that night’s seder.

Israeli security is on heightened alert as the Muslim month of Ramadan, Passover and Easter overlap this year.