Israeli authorities announced the opening of al-Aqsa mosque to men of all ages for Friday prayers this week in at attempt to quell escalating tensions surrounding the Jerusalem compound, the AFP reports.
According Police spokesperson Mickey Rosenfeld, the age-bar was being lifted for the first time in "months," in time for this week's usual Friday prayers, which Rosenfeld said he hoped would make things "calm and quiet" at the compund.The spokesperson also said authorities have boosted police presence throughout the Old City to prevent potiential incidents.
The decision to lift the age-restriction at al-Aqsa, a site also known by the Jewish term Temple Mount, comes on the heels of a meeting in Jordan Thursday between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Jordan's King Abdullah II to discuss tension-quelling strategies for Jerusalem.
During a press conference with Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, Kerry said Israeli and Jordanian leaders demonstrated "firm commitments" to to de-escalation measures and restoring the status quo at the compound.
"It is clear to me that they are serious about working on the effort to create de-escalation and to take steps to instil confidence that the status quo will be upheld," Kerry said.
A holy site for both Jews and Muslims, the Aqsa compound has been subjected to fiery clashes after a right-wing Jewish campaign for prayer rights sparked outrage among Palestinians earlier this month. Tensions boiled over when far-right activist and rabbi Yehudah Glick entered the compound and was shot and wounded by a Palestinian gunmen, escalating again when Israeli forces killed the suspected gunman, Mu'taz Hijazi.
While Netanyahu has stressed his government's plans to keep intact the long-standing agreement allowing Jewish worshippers to visit but not pray at the compound, members of far-right campaigns such as Glick's are regularly escorted into the compound by Israeli security forces, causing mounting tensions among Palestinians.
