Israel shifts metal detectors from holy site
MIDDLE EAST: Israel began removing metal detectors from entrances to a major Jerusalem shrine yesterday to defuse a crisis over the site that angered the Muslim world and triggered some of the worst Israeli-Palestinian clashes in years.
The Israeli Security Cabinet had met for a second straight day on Monday to find an alternative to the metal detectors, which were installed following a deadly Palestinian attack at the holy site.
‘‘The Security Cabinet accepted the recommendation of all of the security bodies to incorporate security measures based on advanced technologies [’smart checks’] and other measures instead of metal detectors,’’ the government said.
It said the measure would ‘‘ensure the security of visitors and worshippers’’ at the holy site and in Jerusalem’s Old City. It added that police would increase its forces in the area until the new security measures are in place.
Israeli media earlier reported that high-resolution cameras capable of detecting hidden objects would be deployed.
Israel erected the metal detectors after Arab gunmen killed two policemen from inside the shrine, which is holy to Muslims and Jews, earlier this month. The move incensed the Muslim world and triggered violence.
The fate of the site is an emotional issue at the heart of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. Even the smallest perceived change to the delicate arrangements pertaining to the site sparks tensions.
Just a few hours earlier, Israel and Jordan resolved a diplomatic standoff after a day of high-level negotiations that ended with the evacuation of Israeli embassy staff from their base in Jordan to Israel.
The crisis had been triggered by a shooting on Monday in which an Israeli embassy guard killed two Jordanians after one attacked him with a screwdriver. Jordan initially said the guard could leave only after an investigation, while Israel said he enjoyed diplomatic immunity.
The crisis was resolved after a phone call between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Jordan’s King Abdullah II.
Media reports had said the deal could see the embassy security guard released in exchange for the removal of the metal detectors.
The 15-hectare walled compound in Jerusalem is the thirdholiest site of Islam, after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. It is also the holiest site of Judaism.
– AP