JERUSALEM — Prayers have passed peacefully at Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site, as Jordan confirmed it was negotiating with Israel to ease tensions.
Hostilities have simmered over Israel’s court-ordered closure of a building known as the “Gate of Mercy” at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Waqf, which oversees Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, has staged prayer-protests over the past month to call for the building’s reopening
Palestinian leaders had called for mass demonstrations at the weekly Friday prayers at the mosque, while Israel deployed a heavy police presence. Thousands of worshippers attended and dispersed without incident.
A Jordanian official confirmed that Jordan, custodian of the compound, held talks with Israeli diplomats to prevent an escalation. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.
Isabel Debre, The Associated Press
