Jerusalem (TPS) — Hundreds of Jews gathered in Jerusalem’s Old City on Tuesday morning to visit the Temple Mount. They came to accompany the parents of Hallel Yaffa Ariel, the 13-year-old girl who was murdered in her bed in Kiryat Arba on June 30 by a 17-year-old Palestinian terrorist.

“We are glad that the nation of Israel has contacted us and is showing support,” said Rena Ariel, Hallel’s mother. “Having the days go by [without Hallel] is hard for us.”

Rena and her husband Amichai, advocates for Jewish access and prayer rights on the Temple Mount, organized the visit in their daughter’s memory. Hallel’s father, Amichai, said, “Once we understand our role on the Temple Mount, we will be able to drive away the darkness.”

“This is not a day of sadness. It is a day of joy,” Hallel’s aunt said. “This is not a day of mourning and destruction, but of rebuilding and anticipating redemption.”

Although the Temple Mount is the holiest site in Judaism, access to it is severely restricted for Jews. The site is also the third holiest site for Muslims, who call it Haram al-Sharif (The Noble Sanctuary) or the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Some Palestinian reports described Tuesday’s event as “a mass invasion of Al-Aqsa by Israeli settlers.”

Police closed several entry gates to the Temple Mount during the visit, restricting Muslim access. Some Muslims who were on the Temple Mount followed the Jewish group, filming them and shouting “Allahu Akbar” (Arabic for “God is great”) at them.

Police arrested four Jews during the visit for allegedly violating the rules for non-Muslims visiting the Temple Mount. These rules include a prohibition on carrying religious articles, praying, or appearing to be praying.

Some Jews were turned away for having violated these rules on previous visits. Several Knesset members were also barred entry because of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s decision to ban all MKs from entering the Temple Mount.

A Temple Mount activist was also arrested on Tuesday for publishing a Facebook photo of himself with an Israeli flag on the Temple Mount. Since Israeli flags are not allowed there, it appears that the photograph was manipulated using image-manipulation software.

Attorney Rehavia Piltz, who is representing the activist on behalf of the Honenu legal organization, said, “It is a terrible shame that the police are not permitting Hallel a dignified memorial after having failed to prevent her murder. Today marks a new peak in the persecution of Temple Mount activists.”