According to media reports

Hundreds of Palestinians were not allowed to enter the Temple Mount

Police on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem (archive photo)

(Bild: AFP)

Israeli police are said to have prevented hundreds of young Palestinians from entering the Temple Mount on Sunday evening. This was reported by media such as the Israeli newspaper "Haaretz." Last week, the government had announced that Muslims would be allowed to pray on the Temple Mount for the time being.

The security situation is to be assessed on a weekly basis, it said. Israel's government is expecting increased tensions in the West Bank and around the holy sites in the Old City of Jerusalem during Ramadan. The month of fasting began today, Monday, in the Palestinian territories.

The Temple Mount, also known as Haram al-Sharif, is sacred to both the Jewish and Muslim populations. Together with the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque on its plateau, it is considered the third most important holy site in Islam. Although these are administered by a Jordanian foundation, the Israeli security forces have controlled all access points since 1967 and thus decide who is allowed to visit the site and pray there.

Here you can see a map of the Temple Mount.

Crowd pushed back with batons?
The media have now reported that hundreds of young Palestinians were not allowed to enter the Temple Mount. Emergency services even used batons on Sunday evening. It was initially unclear why. There were reports of heavy crowds and isolated clashes in Jerusalem. According to eyewitnesses, several people were also arrested.

Only women aged 40 and over are said to have been allowed into the mosque. The information could not initially be independently verified. The Israeli foreign intelligence service Mossad assumes that Hamas wanted to set fire to the region during the month of fasting.