Israel last night removed all new security measures from Jerusalem's al-Asqa mosque, following intense protest and one of the bloodiest clashes with Palestine in years. Palestinians gathered this morning to celebrate.
The historic mosque on what Jews call Temple Mount in Jerusalem's Old City has been a flashpoint of Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the past two weeks, in which several have been killed. Israel's move to fully dismantle its security at the site – having already rescinded some of it – is calculated to pacify fierce tensions that have spilled out on to the international scene.
Tensions rose after gun violence in the area on July 14 saw two Israeli police guards and three Palestinians killed. Israeli forces initially closed access to the mosque, making traditional Islamic Friday prayer at the site impossible, and closing the site for the first time in decades. They later opened it with increased security measures, allowing only men over 50 and women of any age, with metal detectors and searches.
Palestinians called for a 'day of rage' on Friday, when Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said metal detectors would not be removed from the site. Violent clashes on Friday and Saturday saw the deaths of three Israelis and four Palestinians, and prompted a session of the UN Security Council to address the crisis.
At first refusing to retract its security, Israel announced on Tuesday it was removing its metal detector gates from the mosque compound, but Palestine rejected the measures, demanding a complete return to the status quo before July 14. Most Muslims chose to worship in the streets instead.
However, video footage last night showed Israeli workers dismantling security camera rigging and removing metal gates at the mosque compound with forklift trucks.
Witnesses reported the removal of all security equipment and crowds of Palestinians gathering to celebrate.
'Everything that was installed after the attack (the killing of the two police officers) was taken down overnight,' confirmed Police spokeswoman Luba Samri.
The conflict has been to many Palestinians more than an issue of security, but about a perceived Israeli imposition and attempt to control territory.
Known to Muslims as the Haram-ash Sharif, the Temple Mount is one of the most important religious sites in the world, and has been venerated for millennia. Within it, the al-Asqa mosque is the third most sacred site in the Muslim religion.
Additional reporting by Reuters
