Stones thrown on Jerusalem's Temple Mount

JERUSALEM, Sept. 25 (UPI) -- Israeli police entered the Temple Mount compound in Jerusalem Wednesday to nab several suspected Palestinian stone throwers, officials said.

Several dozen Palestinians threw stones at Israeli police stationed at the Temple Mount and then fled to the al-Aksa mosque, Israel Radio reported.

Police had been deployed at the entrance to the Temple Mount since the early morning after intelligence information was received that Palestinians planned to cause riots, the radio report said.

Police chased the stone-throwers who fled inside the mosque and officers surrounded the building and attempted to restore calm in the area, the radio said.

The Palestinian news agency Ma'an said seven Palestinians were injured in clashes with police who prevented Palestinian worshipers from entering the compound because of the unrest.

The Temple Mount compound was closed to non-Muslim visitors Tuesday after threats were received of plans by Palestinian Muslims to cause disturbances. It is one of the most contested sites in Israel, with both Jews and Muslims laying claims to the site, and it is often the scene of unrest.

For Jews it is the location of Abraham's binding of Isaac and the two Jewish Temples.

Situated above the Western Wall it is also called Haram al-Sharif in Arabic, and contains the al-Aksa mosque and the Dome of the Rock, considered to be the third holiest site in Islam.