Muslim leaders tell faithful to resume holy site prayers

UPDATE: Muslim protesters clashed with Israeli police at a holy shrine in Jerusalem after thousands rushed there to pray Thursday. Protesters threw stones and police fired tear gas and rubber bullets. The violence erupted after police closed one of the entrance gates to slow the large number of worshippers streaming into the site. At least 37 Palestinians suffered injuries, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.

OUR EARLIER REPORT (10:00 a.m.): Muslim leaders on Thursday called on Islamic worshippers to resume their prayers inside Jerusalem’s Temple Mount after Israeli officials took down security devices installed outside the site. The announcement comes after thousands of Palestinians boycotted the holy site and prayed in the streets outside the shrine to protest the security installations. Israel also removed the railings and an overhead metal bridge it recently installed near the holy site. The country had earlier removed metal detectors from the shrine’s entrance, but Muslim leaders said that wasn’t enough. “After extensive discussion and after achieving this victory in this round, we call on our people in Jerusalem and inside [Israel], and anyone who can access the Al-Aqsa mosque to enter … en masse,” the Islamic leaders said in a statement. Israeli authorities installed the new security measures earlier this month after gunmen killed two police officers inside the shrine. Both Muslims and Jews in Palestine and Israel revere the site. The security measures angered Muslims, who saw it as a move by Israel to increase its control over the shrine. Israel currently controls the site but allows Muslims to administer it.