Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem reopens after two months

Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound -- the third holiest site in Islam after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia -- reopened on Sunday after being closed for more than two months because of the coronavirus pandemic.

                  

Dozens of worshipers in protective masks were let into the compound before the first prayers of the day, held in a cool and windy night.

                  

Chanting "God is greatest, we will protect Al-Aqsa with our soul and blood", the group gathered in front of the large wooden doors were welcomed by mosque director Omar al-Kiswani, who thanked them for their patience.

                  

It followed a fraught day in annexed east Jerusalem, where the compound is located.

                  

Israeli police on Saturday shot dead a disabled Palestinian they mistakenly thought was armed, prompting furious condemnation from the Palestinians.

                  

The religious site, which houses Al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock, had closed its doors in March as part of measures to limit the spread of COVID-19.

                  

Muslims believe the Prophet Mohammed ascended to heaven there, and the site has often been a flash point in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.