Muslims return to Temple Mount mosque as security measures removed
Jerusalem's Islamic leaders tell Palestinians they can pray at the holy shrine once again after Israel removes controversial metal detectors
Muslim leaders in Jerusalem have told worshippers to return to a holy site to pray after Israel removed security devices.
The leaders met after Israel removed an overhead metal bridge and railings installed outside the shrine after a Palestinian attack at the compound. It dismantled metal detectors there earlier this week.
Thousands of Palestinians have been praying in the streets outside the shrine after religious leaders told them not to worship inside the holy compound in protest.
Violence erupted last Friday over Israel’s closure of the holy site, known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif – the Noble Sanctuary – and to Jews as the Temple Mount.
“After extensive discussion and after achieving this victory in this round we call on our people in Jerusalem and inside (Israel) and anyone who can access the Al-Aqsa Mosque to enter … en masse,” the Islamic leaders declared in a statement.
The head of the Supreme Islamic Committee, Ikrema Sabri, said the first prayers would be held there on Thursday afternoon.
Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, on Thursday said prayers should be resumed at the mosque, which is situated in the compound known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as Haram Al Sharif, the Maan news agency reported.
The statement followed Israel’s dismantling starting Tuesday of metal detectors and other security measures put in place by Israel in response to the slaying of two police officers by three Arab-Israeli terrorists outside the mosque on July 14. Palestinian leaders and religious figures called for worshipers to stay away and put up “popular resistance” – code for violent confrontations and terrorist attacks.
Israel installed the new security measures earlier this month after Palestinian gunmen shot and killed two police officers from within the site.
It said the security measures were necessary to prevent more attacks and are standard procedure to ensure safety at sites around the world. Palestinians claimed Israel was trying to expand its control over the site.
The issue sparked some of the worst street clashes in years and threatened to drawIsrael into conflict with other Arab and Muslim nations.
Palestinians danced, chanted “God is Great” and set off fireworks after some security devices were removed early on Thursday morning. It dismantled metal detectors there earlier this week.
Israel removed the devices under intense pressure and said it plans to install sophisticated security cameras instead.
But Palestinian politicians and Muslim clerics insisted that was not enough and demandedIsrael restore the situation at the shrine in Jerusalem’s Old City to what it was before the July 14 attack.
The fate of the site is an emotional issue at the heart of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. Even the smallest perceived change to delicate arrangements pertaining to the site sparks tensions.
Israel’s decision to add security measures outraged Muslim and triggered protests, and low-level clashes have continued in and around Jerusalem in the days since.
The continued stand-off highlighted the deep distrust between Israel and the Palestinians when it comes to the holy site.
Jews revere the hilltop compound in Jerusalem’s Old City as the Temple Mount, site of the two Jewish biblical temples. It is the holiest site in Judaism and the nearby Western Wall, a remnant of one of the temples, is the holiest place where Jews can pray.
Muslims believe the site marks the spot from which the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven. It is Islam’s third-holiest site after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.
The latest development could put Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a tough spot as he tries to end a wave of unrest that has triggered international pressure while not appearing to his hard-line base as capitulating.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
