Jerusalem - Israel on Sunday reopened the Noble Sanctuary/Temple Mount to all Muslim worshippers and other visitors after two weeks of partial restrictions, a police spokesman said. According to spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld, the situation had returned to the calm that prevailed before tensions over the compound erupted two weeks ago.
Riots by Palestinian Muslims began after rumours spread that Israeli settlers were seeking to re-inauguarate the biblical Jewish temple at the site which is also houses the al-Aqsa mosque, the third holiest site in Islam.
During the tensions, Israeli authorities allowed only Muslim males over 50 and women of all ages who were residents of East Jerusalem into the compound in order to prevent outbreak of riots.
