
Israeli police fired tear gas, rubber bullets and stun grenades at Palestinians following a dispute over a holy site in Jerusalem.

Muslim worshippers retaliated by throwing stones at the Western Wall following days of intense violence in Jerusalem's Old City.

Fighting erupted shortly after Palestinians rushed to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which was reopened following an 11-day boycott by Muslims over Israeli security measures.

The head of the Arab League warned Thursday that Israeli attempts to control highly sensitive religious sites in Jerusalem by force risk igniting a 'religious war'.

The Red Crescent said tensions rose when Israeli troops closed one of the gates to the Haram al-Sharif compound, known to Jews as Temple Mount, as large numbers of worshippers tried to enter.

Muslim worshippers retaliated to Israeli troops' tear gas attacks by throwing stones at the Western Wall following days of intense violence in Jerusalem's Old City

Israeli police fired tear gas, rubber bullets and stun grenades at Palestinians following a dispute over the al-Aqsa mosque

Fighting erupted shortly after Palestinians rushed to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which was reopened following an 11-day boycott by Muslims over Israeli security measures

The Red Crescent said tensions arose when Israeli troops closed one of the gates to the Haram al-Sharif compound, known to Jews as Temple Mount

Palestinian paramedics carry an injured woman on a stretcher past the Dome of the Rock, after clashes broke out inside the Al-Aqsa mosque

Witnesses have reported grenades being thrown during the chaos this afternoon, and police fired tear gas and rubber bullets as Palestinians threw stones inside the walled compound that is holy to Muslims and Jews

The aid charity went on to say 37 Palestinians were wounded, including some by rubber bullets and beatings, and that several people suffered broken bones.

The mosque had been at the center of an Israeli-Palestinian standoff over recent Israeli security installations including metal detectors and surveillance cameras, which Israel has since removed.

Israel installed the new security devices at the shrine after Israeli Arabs shot and killed two police officers from within the site.

Palestinians viewed the move as an attempt by Israel to assert further control over the site, which houses the revered Al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock.

They had been praying in Jerusalem's streets outside the shrine to protest the security measures taken since the July 14 attack.

Israel is 'playing with fire and will only ignite a religious war and shift the core of the conflict from politics to religion,' warned Arab League chief Ahmed Abul Gheit.

He added: 'Handling holy sites lightly and with this level of arrogance seriously threatens to ignite a religious war, since not one single Muslim in the world would accept the desecration of Al-Aqsa mosque.'

Muslims had refused to enter the compound and prayed in the streets outside after Israel installed the new security measures

The Red Crescent said 37 Palestinians were wounded, including some by rubber bullets and beatings, and that several people suffered broken bones

The al-Aqsa mosque had been at the center of an Israeli-Palestinian standoff over recent Israeli security installations including metal detectors and surveillance cameras

Palestinians had been praying in Jerusalem's streets outside the mosque to protest the security measures taken since the July 14 attack

Israel installed the new security devices at the shrine after Israeli Arabs shot and killed two police officers from within the site

Palestinians waved a national flag after the boycott of the holy site was lifted following the dispute over security measures

Israeli security forces stand guard in front of the Dome of the Rock in the Haram al-Sharif compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, in the old city of Jerusalem on July 27, 2017

Don't know what happened. Seemed going ok then sound of stun grenades. Loudspeaker imam telling kids to retreat but they're going to police pic.twitter.com/IGrB09OIQm — Kaamil Ahmed (@KaamilAhmed) July 27, 2017

Thousands of worshippers had earlier streamed into the compound for afternoon prayers, ending a boycott over security measures introduced following a July 14 attack in which two police officers were killed.

DISPUTE OVER NEW SECURITY MEASURES The dispute began after Israel installed metal detectors at Muslim entrances to Al-Aqsa compound, also known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount, following the July 14 killing of two Israeli policemen by Arab gunmen who had concealed weapons inside the walled plaza. The unannounced move provoked days of unrest, with violent clashes on the streets of East Jerusalem. Israeli forces shot dead four Palestinians, and a Palestinian man stabbed and killed three Israelis in their home in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. For the past two weeks, most Muslims have refused to enter, instead praying in the streets around the Old City. Today Muslim elders declared themselves satisfied that Israeli authorities had removed all the new security measures - mainly metal detectors and CCTV cameras - and reverted to the set-up before July 14. Advertisement

Controversial new metal detectors and barriers were removed as a result of the boycott of the site, the third holiest in Islam.

The site includes the Al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock. Some worshippers cried as they entered while others shouted 'Allahu Akbar' (God is Greatest).

Muslims had refused to enter the compound and prayed in the streets outside after Israel installed the new security measures. Palestinians viewed the move as Israel asserting further control over the site.

Israeli authorities said the measures, including metal detectors, were needed because the July 14 attackers smuggled guns into the compound and emerged from it to attack the officers.

Deadly unrest erupted in the days after the new measures were introduced, with clashes breaking out around the compound and in the occupied West Bank, leaving five Palestinians dead.

A Palestinian also broke into a home in a Jewish settlement in the West Bank last week and stabbed four Israelis, killing three of them.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu today called for 19-year-old Palestinian Omar al-Abed to be executed for killing Yosef Salomon, 70, and his children Chaya, 46, and Elad, 36.

The compound is the site of the Temple Mount, where an ancient Jewish temple is believed to have been built by King Solomon in 957BC.

It was later believed to be the site of a temple built by Herod the Great, which is said to have been destroyed in 70AD by the Romans.

The same compound is the third holiest site in Islam, and is believed to be the place from where the Prophet Muhammed ascended to heaven.

The Israeli soldiers are attacking the peaceful worshippers right now Al Aqsa #jerusalem pic.twitter.com/QdU8PjXDgT — Ashira (@AshiraRam) July 27, 2017

Palestinians escort a Sunni Muslim cleric in the Haram al-Sharif compound in the old city of Jerusalem as clashes broke out this afternoon

Once Israel removed metal detectors and cameras Thursday, Muslim leaders told the faithful to return to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the compound. Droves of Palestinians entered for afternoon prayers, some waving national flags.

'After extensive discussion and after achieving this victory in this round we call on our people in Jerusalem and inside (Israel) and anyone who can access the Al-Aqsa Mosque to enter ... en masse,' the Islamic leaders said in a statement.

Abdel Azim Salhab of the Waqf, Jordan's religious body that administers the site, had urged imams to close other Jerusalem mosques tomorrow so worshippers will pray only at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Friday prayers are the highlight of the Muslim religious week. Thousands of Muslims typically worship at the holy compound in Jerusalem's Old City.

Salhab said all devices had been removed from the entrances but he didn't know if security cameras that had been mounted on the wall of the compound were also dismantled. He said if they are there, then 'we reject it.'

King Abdullah of Jordan urged Israel to 'respect the historical and legal situation in the holy shrine to prevent the recurrence of these crises.'

Jordan is the Muslim custodian of the shrine - Islam's third holiest site after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.

Jews also revere the hilltop compound as the Temple Mount, site of the two Jewish biblical temples. It is the holiest site in Judaism and the nearby Western Wall, a remnant of one of the temples, is the holiest place where Jews can pray

Abdel Azim Salhab of the Waqf, Jordan's religious body that administers the site, had urged imams to close other Jerusalem mosques tomorrow so worshippers will pray only at the Al-Aqsa Mosque

Palestinians and Israeli border police officers scuffle inside the Al Aqsa Mosque compound

Muslims believe the site marks the spot where the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven

Muslims had refused to enter the compound and prayed in the streets outside after Israel installed the new security measures before the boycott was lifted today

Abdullah also issued blistering criticism of Israel's handling of a deadly altercation at its embassy in Amman involving an Israeli security guard, calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's conduct 'provocative.'

He blasted Netanyahu for hugging an Israeli security guard who killed two Jordanians at the Israeli Embassy in Amman over the weekend after a 16-year-old attacked the guard with a screwdriver.

'Such unacceptable and provocative behavior at all levels infuriates all of us, leads to insecurity and fuels extremism in the region,' Abdullah said in a statement.

The embassy incident has inflamed public opinion in Jordan, where a 1994 peace treaty with Israel remains deeply unpopular. Netanyahu praised the guard upon his return, saying he had acted 'calmly.'

Abdullah told senior officials that Netanyahu needs to take legal measures that 'guarantee the trial of the murderer.'

He said the incident 'will have a direct impact on the nature of our relations.'