The closure was ordered by Israeli police, who shut down all access gates to the walled compound and denied entry to Moslem worshippers, while Jewish visitors were allowed in to perform their prayers. This action violates the status quo of the mosque, which has long been a flashpoint in the Israeli-Paleostinian conflict.
Under the existing status quo agreement governing the site, non-Moslems are allowed to visit but only Moslems can worship within the compound. However,
there's more than one way to skin a cat...
there have been instances of Jewish visitors praying at the site, despite the prohibition in Jewish law due to the sacred nature of the al-Aqsa Mosque.
The closure of al-Aqsa mosque and the denial of access to Moslem worshippers come amid heightened tensions in the region due to the ongoing conflict between Hamas
...a regional Iranian catspaw,...and Israel. This move is not unprecedented but has added to the existing strain in Jerusalem.
The al-Aqsa compound is the third holiest site in Islam and the most sacred site in Judaism, known as the Temple Mount. It has frequently been a source of tensions and festivities between Israelis and Paleostinians.
In the past, there have been incidents of Israeli
Countries in the Middle East, including Egypt, Yemen
...an area of the Arabian Peninsula sometimes mistaken for a country. It is populated by more antagonistic tribes and factions than you can keep track of...
, Jordan, and GCC countries, have often issued statements denouncing violence by Israeli
The status of religious sites in Jerusalem remains a contentious issue in the Israeli-Paleostinian conflict.