Israel eases Jerusalem mosque restrictions

Israel eased restrictions at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque yesterday after US Secretary of State John Kerry announced agreement on steps to reduce tensions at the flashpoint compound.
The site, which is holy to Jews as well as Muslims, has been the focus of months of unrest in annexed Arab east Jerusalem, that has spread to the occupied West Bank and Arab communities across Israel, raising fears of a new Palestinian uprising.
The Palestinians have been infuriated by a far-right Jewish campaign for prayer rights at Al-Aqsa that threatens an ultra-sensitive, decades-old status quo.
The violence prompted Kerry to hold a flurry of meetings with the two sides in neighbouring Jordan on Thursday, after which he announced unspecified confidence-building measures to ease the underlying tensions.
Men of all ages were allowed entry for the main weekly Muslim prayers at Al-Aqsa for the first time in "months", Israeli police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld told AFP.
"Firm commitments" were made to maintain the status quo at the compound, Kerry said at a press conference with Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh.
Israel and Jordan, which has custodial rights at the compound, also agreed to take steps to "de-escalate the situation" in Jerusalem and to "restore confidence".
Kerry met separately with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, who he said also committed to help calm emotions.
Netanyahu has said repeatedly that his government has no plans to change the status quo at the compound which allows Jews to visit but not pray. But his reassurances have failed to calm Palestinian anger that has also been fuelled by his government's vigorous expansion of Jewish settlements on occupied Palestinian land.