The Times of Israel reports: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud personally intervened to end the closure of the Temple Mount following a terrorist attack at the site, according to an Arab media report on Tuesday.
Israel closed the Temple Mount compound for the first time in decades on Friday following a shooting attack by three Arab Israelis that killed two policemen at the site, only reopening it to Muslims on Sunday and to non-Muslims on Monday. King Salman, according to a report in the Saudi-owned and London-based Arabic news site Elaph, sent a message to Jerusalem via the White House, urging Israel to reopen the site to Muslim worshipers as soon as possible.
In return, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly sent back reassurances that he had no intention of altering the 50-year-old status quo at the site, according to which non-Muslims may visit but not pray at the site. Misinformation regarding Israeli plans to make changes to the status quo surfaces frequently, roiling the Palestinian street and angering the Arab world.
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