Muslim and Christian leaders prayed together that peace should prevail Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque on Temple Mount as Friday prayers came to an end without the violence and disruption that had been feared.
After two weeks of tension and violence, including the killing of two Israeli policemen, the World Council of Churches reported meetings between church leaders and the Islamic leadership at the mosque plaza.
The visit from church leaders to the mosque was initiated by Christian organisations under the umbrella of the National Coalition of Christian Organisations in Palestine.
The initial plan was to hold prayers along with the evening Muslim prayers that have been held place in the street below for the past few days. Then religious and community leaders in Jerusalem collectively decided to hold prayers in Al Aqsa mosque together.
Archbishop Theodosios Atallah Hanna of Sebastia from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem thanked God 'for his mercy and the Jerusalem community and religious leaders for their steadfastness' and congratulated them 'for this victorious day of nonviolent resilience'.
Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the World Council of Churches, welcomed the focus on respect for religious rights and a strengthened commitment to a faith-based nonviolent approach.
'The WCC condemns all kind of violence and I really hope that the situation can now be calmed down by wise decisions to save peoples' lives, and to secure their freedom of religion and access to holy places in the city of Jerusalem,' he said.
Friday prayers ended peacefully, in spite of fears that there would be more violence, after Israel set an age limit on who could attend. Entry was restricted to men over the age of 50. Women of all ages were allowed in.
Tensions had soared at the venue over the past two weeks, often erupting into fierce clashes, after two Israeli police officers were shot dead on July 14 by gunmen who had hidden weapons inside the Aqsa compound, prompting Israel to install metal detectors at the entrance to the site. A Muslim boycott ensued.
Under immense diplomatic pressure Israel removed the metal detectors on Thursday, a move welcomed by the Arab world, but disturbances quickly resumed when thousands of Muslim worshippers surged back into the mosque.
Al-Aqsa mosque, Islam's third holiest shrine, sits on a tree-lined plateau in the heart of the Old City. It is on Temple Mount, the holiest place in Judaism – the venue of two ancient temples, the last destroyed by the Romans. Jews pray under heavy security at the Western Wall at the foot of the elevated plaza.
Additional reporting by Reuters
