Israel’s public security minister insisted Thursday that the metal detectors were essential to maintaining security, while Palestinians and Muslim religious leaders called for mass protests in the city if they are not removed. The Israeli security services are reportedly divided over what to do given the rising tensions surrounding the site. “The Israeli police needs these metal detectors so the security checks can give a proper response to the security considerations,” he said. In response, Israel began installing metal detectors — a security measure it said is used routinely at holy sites around the world. It was only the third closure since Israel captured the shrine, along with east Jerusalem and other territories, in the 1967 Mideast war.

Source: Washington Post July 20, 2017 02:13 UTC