Jerusalem police on Friday have announced age restrictions for Arab worshippers attending Har HaBayis prayer services. Males 45 or older will be permitted and only those with blue Israeli identity cards, banning PA (Palestinian Authority) residents. There are no restrictions on females.

The move is in response to credible intelligence information that Arabs plan to engage in unrests and protests following prayer services in protest over government plan to raze illegal homes in an Arab neighborhood in the Jerusalem district.

Police are out in large numbers in and around Jerusalem’s Old City on Friday morning. MDA Emergency Medical Service officials announce the organization has also moved to a heightened operational alert status.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)