TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Israeli security forces have decided to remove metal detectors at the entrance of the Al Aqsa Mosque, which over the past week have sparked tensions between Israelis and the Palestinians. They have replaced the metal scanners with other security devices.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet chose to remove the metal detectors after a meeting that lasted several hours for the second time on Monday evening, July 24, 2017.
Read: Indonesia Urges Granting of Worship Rights in Al Aqsa
As reported by Al Jazeera on, Tuesday, July 25, 2017, the Israeli cabinet said the decision was reached after all parties recommended that the metal detector tool should be replaced with other smart security checking methods.
The Cabinet said in a statement that an allocation of US $ 28 million had been spent on installing monitoring equipment, in addition to increasing the number police officers.
According to witnesses, city workers are actively installing an iron pole to place surveillance cameras or CCTVs on several streets in Jerusalem's Old City.
Sheikh Najeh Bakirat, an Imam of al-Aqsa Mosque, said that the action did not meet the demands of Muslims when sophisticated security cameras were added.
Read: Indonesian Muslims Hold Rally to Protest Israeli Grip on Al Aqsa
At least five Palestinians have been killed and hundreds injured in clashes triggered by the new security measures. Three Israelis were also killed when a Palestinian sneaked into a house in the West Bank settlement and stabbed them.
Tensions between the two sides have intensified since Israel have installed metal detectors at the entrance of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Baitulmaqdis after two Druze Israeli police were shot dead by a group of armed men there on July 14.
AL JAZEERA | REUTERS | YON DEMA
