Israel reopens Temple Mount site after rabbi's shooting

JERUSALEM, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- The Temple Mount, a compound of ancient Jerusalem buildings sacred to both Jews and Muslims, was reopened Friday.

The holy site was closed temporarily following the shooting of Rabbi Yehuda Glick, a prominent right-wing activist, on Wednesday. Police shot and killed Muataz Hijiazi, 32, a Palestinian suspected of trying to murder Glick, during a raid early Thursday.

Tensions were heightened Thursday when a spokesman for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called the closure of the holy site "a declaration of war." Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman for Abbas, said that the "grave act" of closing the holy site would "add to the tensions and instability and create a dangerous atmosphere."

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu countered that Abbas was responsible for inciting the attack on Glick by encouraging Palestinians to prevent "the ascent of Jews to the Temple Mount... by every means."

Approximately 3,000 police were deployed in east Jerusalem and the Old City on Friday. Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the holy site was reopened without major incident.