Israel opens Al-Aqsa mosque with police out in force
A masked Palestinian demonstrator uses a sling shot to throw rocks at Israeli security forces during clashes at the main entrance of the West bank city of Bethlehem on Friday, October 31, 2014. Israeli police deployed heavily around Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound as it reopened for Muslim prayers after a rare closure during clashes over the killing of a Palestinian by security forces. PHOTO | FILE |
What you need to know:
- Clashes had erupted early on Thursday when Israeli police shot dead a Palestinian accused of trying to kill Yehuda Glick, a hardline rabbi linked to tensions at the compound.
JERUSALEM
Israeli police deployed heavily around Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound as it reopened on Friday for Muslim prayers after a rare closure during clashes over the killing of a Palestinian by security forces.
The streets of east Jerusalem were calm before the prayers at midday but teeming with additional police, including many in riot gear, after an Israeli clampdown on the compound, which is holy for Muslims and Jews alike.
Clashes had erupted early on Thursday when Israeli police shot dead a Palestinian accused of trying to kill Yehuda Glick, a hardline rabbi linked to tensions at the compound.
The closure was the first for decades and prompted a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas to condemn the move as an Israeli “declaration of war”.
Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said that because of fears of unrest at the midday prayers, entry for Muslim men would be restricted to those over 50.
Hundreds of police were seen manning a series of checkpoints leading from the Old City’s outer gates all the way to the Al-Aqsa compound, an AFP correspondent said.
Ordinary and riot police officers checked identity papers of people passing between the barricades, both those on their way to pray at the site and those who worked nearby.
Female officers were deployed to stop and search Muslim women.
