At least 113 people have been injured in clashes as thousands of Muslim worshippers surged into Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque after Israel lifted security measures imposed at the sacred site. Chaotic scenes unfolded as Israeli police used stun grenades to try to control crowds charging forward when the last gate Muslims use to enter Al Aqsa was opened after a stand-off lasting several hours.
Several young men clambered onto the mosque's roof to affix Palestinian flags, which Israeli police soon confiscated. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered police reinforcements in Jerusalem, and police were weighing up limiting entry of younger men in anticipation of mass protests for Friday prayers — the highlight of the Muslim religious week.
In a statement, Amnesty International said Israeli forces attacked "peaceful crowds" in an "unprovoked attack". Israeli police said rocks were thrown at them first. Palestinian leaders called for a day of rage on Friday in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. "The coming hours will be decisive in how things go," Nour Odeh, a Palestinian analyst said. "This is a people who are not willing to succumb to and to give up on their national rights.
Israel's removal of the security devices, including metal detectors and CCTV cameras, marked a significant backdown by Mr Netanyahu, with political opponents accusing him of weakness. The new security measures at Muslim entrances to the compound were installed after the July 14 killing of two Israeli policemen by Palestinian gunmen.
Most Palestinians had refused to enter the compound for the past two weeks, instead praying in the streets around the Old City. Local media reported Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met Jerusalem's mufti in Ramallah and welcomed the decision, calling it a victory for Palestinians. Mr Netanyahu spent Thursday rallying his base with calls to bring back the death penalty for Palestinian attackers.
Meanwhile, concern over Israel's relationship with Jordan deepened after the Jordanian King slammed the Israeli PM's handling of the latest tension. "Netanyahu is in a dramatic political problem because he is very weak now with his electoral base on the right," said Ofer Zalzburg, an Israeli analyst with the International Crisis Group.
Israel said the security measures were necessary to prevent more attacks and are standard procedure to ensure safety at sites around the world. But Palestinians said Israel was trying to expand its control over the site. The issue sparked some of the worst street clashes in years and threatened to draw Israel into conflict with other Arab and Muslim nations.