Palestinians continue boycott of Temple Mount

Following the directive of a senior cleric, Palestinians are still boycotting the Temple Mount, despite the removal of metal detectors.  

Palestinian Muslims refrained from praying at the Temple Mount on Tuesday even after police removed the metal detectors placed at the entrance to the site, a move they say Muslims had viewed as an insult and an encroachment on their rights.

A senior cleric has ruled that Muslims should stay away from the shrine, pending a review of the new Israeli security arrangements there.

Ikrema Sabri, head of the Supreme Islamic Committee in Jerusalem, said such a review might be completed later on Tuesday.

Israel has removed all security measures in an attempt to deescalate the tensions surrounding the issue. However, it has plans to install a network of smart cameras.

Muslim worshipers have not entered the sacred compound since Israel installed metal detectors there last week. Instead, they performed mass prayer protests outside the entrance to the Mount.

Earlier Tuesday, Israel’s security Cabinet said it would replace the metal detectors with “advanced technologies,” reportedly cameras that could detect hidden objects such as weapons. However, this could take up to six months.

Sabri told AP that “our position is that for now, nobody should enter” the Temple Mount.

By: World Israel News and AP