Israeli Police Enforce Age Restrictions on Palestinian Access to Flashpoint Al-Aqsa

Rasa - Hours after thousands of Palestinians gathered at East Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound for the first time since Israel lifted tightened measures imposed at the site, Israeli police Friday enforced age restrictions on Palestinians’ access to the compound.

News ID: 431291

Date: 28 July 2017 - 21:48

RNA - Police announced that men under the age of 50 would be barred from the mosque compound, with no restrictions imposed on women, WAFA reported.

The announcement came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered heavy police reinforcements at the compound and inside the Old City of Jerusalem in anticipated of heavy clashes following Friday prayers.

Hundreds of troops were deployed at the entrances to the holy esplanade and across the Old City’s alleyways, setting up railings and mounting the Old City’s wall.

Police announced the Sultan Suleiman Street and the area around the Old City was closed off to vehicles and set up checkpoints and roadblocks at the roads leading to this area.

Israeli troops had raided the holy esplanade following evening prayer on Thursday and attacked worshippers as they gathered at the holy esplanade for the first time in two weeks since Israel lifted recent tightened measures imposed at the site.

Troops detained some 120 Palestinians from inside the mosque and fired rubber-coated steel bullets, stun grenades and tear gas canisters at worshippers, causing scores of injuries.

An estimated 120,000 Palestinians had gathered to perform prayers inside the holy site Thursday evening after all gates of the holy site were reopened though the Remission Gate (Bab al-Hutta) was closed again shortly afterwards.

This came shortly after Palestinians took to the streets of Jerusalem to celebrate the re-opening of the mosque compound.

The scenes of celebration started Wednesday night when thousands gathered at the Lion’s Gate to witness additional installations, including railings and scaffolding were inspection cameras were previously mounted, be dismantled.

Israel has set up the metal detectors and cameras at the entrances to the site and took other tightened measures following a fatal attack that left the assailants, three Palestinian citizens of Israel, and two Israeli police officers killed on July 14.

Palestinians and Muslim clerics have widely perceived the installations as an Israeli attempt to use Israeli-Palestinian violence to extend control over East Jerusalem and the Noble Sanctuary, further restricting Palestinian and Muslim access.

Al-Aqsa is located in East Jerusalem, a part of the Palestinian territories that have been under Israeli military occupation since 1967.

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