It is revered by Muslims as the spot where Prophet Mohammed ascended to heaven and by Jews as the site of the two Jewish biblical Temples.
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The Murabitat, which means “steadfast”, believe along with many other Palestinians that Israel plans to demolish the mosque and build a Jewish temple in its place. THOMAS COEX / AFP – Getty Images Under an agreement with Islamic religious authorities, Jews can tour the complicated still not pray at the location in Jerusalem’s Old City.
“The prime minister can not just order to violate people’s freedom of movement”, Mr Zahalka said after he was blocked from ascending to the compound by the Israeli police on Thursday. Four Israelis have been killed in that time and more than a dozen were injured.
Netanyahu made the controversial decision in order to quell Muslims’ fears that Israel was preparing to assert sovereignty over part or all of the Mount, the site of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock, and the long-destroyed Jewish Biblical Temples. “But through persistence, thoroughness and resolve, we will prove that terror doesn’t pay”.
In the past few weeks, Israel has seen several similar attacks.
Violent clashes also continued near the Palestinian city of Ramallah. That claim is also denied by Israeli authorities.
The violence has escalated in the past week. “The high number of casualties, in particular those resulting from the use of live ammunition by Israeli security forces, raise concerns of excessive use of force”, he said. When Israeli police – acting on intelligence that the Muslims planned to throw the stones at Jews praying at the Western Wall, below the Temple Mount – confronted them at the mosque, televised news footage outraged the Arab world.
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Women of all ages will be permitted to enter the Temple Mount, but access for men will be limited to the over 50s.
