Jerusalem's Muslim community resumed prayers inside the Al-Aqsa compound Thursday after Israel removed the controversial security measures from the entrance to the holy site. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas confirmed that prayers would resume at the holy site, known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and Jews as the Temple Mount.
The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and the Imam of Al Aqsa Mosque said they were satisfied with Israel's removal of metal detectors and other security measures opposed by Muslims. Thousands responded to the calls of Muslim religious leaders to attend afternoon prayers on Thursday. Amid the crowds, there was a visible Israeli security presence. Some stun grenades and tear gas were used to disperse crowds amid the heightened emotions on the scene.
Muslim religious leaders have called upon worshippers to enter through all gates collectively for afternoon prayers on Thursday. They also called for all mosques in the area to shut down on Friday and direct worshippers to the Al-Aqsa Mosque instead. The announcement came after Israeli police said cameras that were installed at the site have been taken down, two days after metal detectors were also dismantled.
Israel installed metal detectors and security cameras close to the entrance to the sacred site following an attack in which two Israeli police officers were killed. The Jordanian Authority in charge of the site, the Islamic Waqf, encouraged worshippers to return to prayers Thursday morning inside the compound.
Waqf leaders had not entered al-Aqsa to pray after Israel's decision to install new security measures, and many Muslims follow the lead of the Waqf. Previous declarations from political and religious leaders had increased the likelihood of widespread demonstrations in and around Jerusalem following Friday's midday Muslim prayers. The demonstrations often turned into clashes between Palestinian protestors and Israeli soldiers, fueling a wave of unrest instead of defusing the situation.
According to police, three of the nine gates leading up to the site are open, with the remaining entrances set to be opened gradually. The security measures are now the same as they were before the July 14 attack at the site.
"Overnight, throughout the evening, yesterday all the remaining structures and cameras were removed from the area, which were set up after the terrorist attack," Israeli police said. "At the moment that's the situation on the ground. Police are in and around different areas in the Old City. We are making security assessments leading up to Friday prayers."
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to close Al Jazeera's office in Jerusalem, according to a statement posted on his official Facebook page. Netanyahu accused the news network of fomenting violence around the Jerusalem security saga.
"I turned to law enforcement multiple times demanding that they close the Al Jazeera office in Jerusalem," Netanyahu wrote in the post late Thursday. "If this does happen through legal means, I will act by the necessary means to remove Al Jazeera from Israel." In his attempt to ban the Qatar-based network, Netanyahu is perhaps taking his lead from an unlikely source.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt have told Qatar to shut down the Al Jazeera network and its affiliates, as part of a list of demands that the Arab states have handed to Qatar as the diplomatic crisis in the Gulf continues. Saudi Arabia and Jordan have closed down Al Jazeera offices amid the regional spat. The Egyptian Al Jazeera office shut down in 2013.
In June, Israeli media reported that Netanyahu was examining the possibility of closing Al Jazeera's offices in Jerusalem, but such a move would likely face significant legal obstacles because of the country's commitment to freedom of the press. In response, Al Jazeera said it would take "all necessary legal measures" against the threat.
In the same context, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reiterated its firm position of supporting the Palestinian people and rejecting all attempts to impose unilateral control and actions aimed at harming Jerusalem and al-Aqsa Mosque. It warned of the danger of further escalation into a situation that affects all the region and beyond.
The Kingdom stressed that the only way to reach peace is by referring to the Arab peace initiative and putting in place an effective international mechanism to ensure that the Palestinian people have all their inalienable rights that include ending the occupation in accordance with a specific time frame and establishing an independent Palestinian state having Jerusalem as its capital.
This came during Saudi Arabia’s speech before the UN Security Council on Tuesday on the debate over “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian issue”, delivered by Permanent Representative of the Kingdom to the United Nations Ambassador Abdullah bin Yahya al-Muallimi.
On the Syrian issue, Muallimi said that the Kingdom welcomes the agreement reached by Jordan, US and Russia on the ceasefire southwestern Syria. “In this context, the Kingdom stresses the importance of the international community continuing to stand firm against the killings, siege, starvation, forced displacement and sectarian cleansing practiced by the Syrian regime,” Muallimi said.
He added that his country reaffirms its readiness to participate in any joint international effort to eliminate terrorist groups wherever they exist.
“My country’s delegation has warned your council several times that the most serious aspect of the conflict in Palestine is the provocative acts carried out by Israelis and schemes implemented and aiming at changing the current historic status quo, working on Judaizing and modifying its demographic composition and distorting its Arab and Islamic identity,” he said, stressing that Saudi Arabia won’t accept this and calls on all countries to commit to the international regulations in this matter.