The Jerusalem Police has been placed on high alert in preparation for the first Ramadan prayers at the Temple Mount on Friday.
Despite a police decision to limit entrance to the Al-Aqsa Mosque to Palestinians holding Israeli residency aged over 40, some 80,000 worshipers poured on the Temple Mount.
Policemen at the Western Wall (Photo: Dudi Vaaknin)
"The Jerusalem police are deployed in the Temple Mount area and the neighborhoods to enforce law and security in the east of the city
and the Old City. We have no concrete intelligence about intentions to disturb the order during prayers or specific intentions to carry out an attack in the capital," Jerusalem police chief Maj.-Gen. Ilan Franko told Ynet.
Thousands of policemen dispersed across the capital's eastern section and a command room has been set up near the Western Wall to oversee operations.
Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter and Israel Police Chief Moshe Karadi arrived at the command room to oversee operations.
Transportation police officers manned major roads leading to the capital and directed buses and cars to designated parking lots in the city.
Police feared clashes between extremist Jews and Arabs as the Holy Month of Ramadan coincides with the Jews holiday season.
RSS
