Fresh clashes break out at Aqsa compound

New clashes broke out on Monday morning between Israeli border police and Palestinians at Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, an Agence France-Presse journalist reported, with further trouble feared in the week ahead.

Police were deployed to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound after clashes a day earlier. Al-Aqsa, is the third holiest site in Islam.

The compound has been the site of consistent clashes between border police and Palestinians since they first clashed earlier this month.

Tensions rose during the Jewish holiday of Yon Kipur and the Islamic holiday of Eid Al-Adha.

Under the current status quo, Jews are permitted to visit the site but not to pray there for fear it would cause friction with Muslim worshippers.

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Visits by Jews were stopped on Sunday and age restrictions on Muslim men entering the compound lifted for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, but a ban on under-50s was re-imposed as the Jewish festival of Sukkot started.

Muslims have been alarmed by an increase in visits by Jews and fear rules governing the compound will be changed.

Meanwhile, Arab leadership have vowed to “confront Israeli aggression” on Aqsa with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir confirming on September 15 that movement will be made “at all levels to confront any act of aggression carried out by the Israeli occupation or the Israeli settlers against Al-Aqsa Mosque.”

[With AFP]