Israel removes security measures outside Al Aqsa mosque

Jerusalem, July 27 (IANS) Israeli authorities on Thursday removed all kinds of security measures placed outside the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, as thousands of Muslim worshippers rejoiced.

CCTV cameras, railings and scaffolding, whose installation triggered violent clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police, were taken away by the authorities in the early hours of Thursday, reports Xinhua news agnecy.

However, Muslim leaders told the worshippers to continue to pray outside the site until they would decide if Israel has indeed cancelled all of the recent security measures and returned to the status quo.

Palestinian Governor of Jerusalem Adnan Husseini hoped that "Israel would be serious about this step and not have undeclared goals behind this move", pointing out that the top Muslim clerics will listen to the technical reports by the field teams before taking a final decision to end the ongoing protests.

Omar Kiswani, Director of Al-Aqsa Mosque, said a meeting of the Supreme Islamic Committee in Jerusalem would be held later Thursday.

There have been near-daily clashes between Israeli security forces and protesters since the metal detectors were introduced in the wake of the killings of a policemen on July 14 near the site known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif.

Four Palestinians were killed and three Israeli civilians stabbed to death by a Palestinian who said he was avenging Israel actions at the site.