Arab League condemns Israeli practices in al-Aqsa mosque

The Council of the Arab League on Monday condemned Israel's decision to bar Palestinians from entering the al-Aqsa mosque in East Jerusalem.

The Council said the Israeli measures there are a blatant breach of Palestinian worship rights these practices violate the international laws and the UN resolutions, Xinhua reported.

It also stressed the necessity to end the Israeli practices, rejecting Israel's change of the status quo in East Jerusalem.

Israel shut down the holy site and installed checkpoints and metal detectors at its entrances after three Palestinian Muslims with Israeli citizenship shot dead two Israel policemen on Friday morning.

It was for the first time in the past 50 years that Israel closed the compound, which is Islam's third holiest site.

Israel reopened the holy site on Sunday, requiring all visitors to go through security checks through metal detectors that were placed at two gates.

However, the Waqf, a Muslim religious authority that administrates the compound, rejected the new measures and refused to hold prayers at the mosque.

--IANS

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