Israeli Cabinet Approves Removal of Metal Detectors from Al-Aqsa Mosque

Reports indicate that the Israeli cabinet approved the removal of electronic metal detectors from the Al-Aqsa Mosque early Tuesday morning, replacing them with more advanced technology for smart monitoring. According to Reuters, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet voted to dismantle these electronic gates after holding a lengthy meeting for the second time on Monday. The Israeli government had also held a meeting on this issue on Sunday. Israel installed the electronic metal detectors at the entrances to the mosque following armed clashes between gunmen and police on July 23, which resulted in the deaths of two police officers near an entrance to the mosque. This action has led to protests and clashes. So far, these tensions have resulted in the deaths of at least five Palestinians and the killing of three members of an Israeli family. Public opinion in Israel remains affected by the manner of the killing of these three family members, and thousands of Israelis attended their funeral on Sunday. The Israeli government stated in its Sunday meeting, 'We are managing the crisis with calm, decisiveness, and responsibility.' Haaretz also reported that officials from the Shin Bet, Israel's internal security service, warned during an emergency government meeting about the escalation of violence following the installation of the electronic gates. Meanwhile, just hours before the Israeli cabinet's decision, Nikolai Mladenov, the UN envoy for the Middle East, warned on Monday about the 'cross-border' consequences of the recent crisis. Reports also indicate that King Abdullah of Jordan, in a phone conversation with Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, called for the removal of these metal detectors. A statement from the Jordanian king's office noted that King Abdullah requested a swift resolution to the recent issues and the dismantling of all devices at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, returning the situation to what it was before the installation of these devices. The Jordanian king further called for an agreement to prevent new tensions in this regard. Ayman Safadi, Jordan's foreign minister, whose country collaborates with the Palestinian Islamic Waqf in the administration of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, stated on Saturday, 'The crisis will be resolved when Israel retracts the steps it has taken.' In this context, Israeli embassy staff in Jordan returned to Tel Aviv, continuing the critical situation related to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the escalation of the crisis between Palestinians and Israelis following the killing of three members of an Israeli family and clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police due to increased security measures at the mosque.