Israel maintains Jerusalem mosque restrictions
Posted: 15 March 2010 1659 hrs

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JERUSALEM : Israeli police on Monday maintained restrictions on access to the Al-Aqsa mosque compound -- Islam's third holiest site -- for the fourth day running amid tensions in Jerusalem.

Authorities fear renewed clashes could follow the formal reopening of a landmark synagogue in Jerusalem's walled Old City, in mainly Arab east Jerusalem.

"Considering the risk of trouble, we maintain the state of alert and restrictions on access to the Temple Mount," said police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld.

Since Friday, men under the age of 50 are barred from entering the compound, as are non-Muslims.

The compound housing Al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock is Islam's third holiest site after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. Jews call the site Temple Mount and consider it to be Judaism's holiest site.

Police clashed with protesters at the compound on March 5 and again last Friday.

Tensions have spiralled following Israel's announcement that it will build 1,600 new homes for Jewish settlers in mostly Arab east Jerusalem, which Palestinians consider to be the capital of their future state.

Palestinians decided to hold a two-hour strike in Jerusalem on Monday.

The decision to rebuild the 1694 synagogue further fuelled tensions.

The synagogue was first destroyed by Ottoman authorities 21 years after it was built. It was rebuilt in 1864, then blown to pieces in 1948 as troops of the newly established state of Israel battled Jordanian soldiers for control of the city.

Israel has also extended a lockdown on the occupied West Bank that started on Friday.

- AFP /ls