New agreement 'grants Emirati, Bahraini visitors entry to Al-Aqsa site': Israeli report
Tourists from the and Bahrain who want to visit the will be granted entry under a new agreement, Israeli reports said on Monday.
Visitors will be allowed in through the "Jordanian-Palestinian gates," after the Palestinian Authority and Jordan reached an agreement with representatives of the UAE and Bahrain, Israel Hayom .
The report claimed the agreement was reached after fighting erupted between Jerusalem Islamic Waqf authorities – in charge of controlling and managing Islamic edifices – and Emirati nationals who attempted to enter the mosque.
There are currently nine functioning entrances to the Al-Aqsa courtyard – one designated for Jews, while the rest are for Muslims.
The agreement allows Muslim visitors from the two Gulf countries to visit Al-Aqsa and other holy sites.
After signing a normalisation agreement in recent months, UAE and Bahraini nationals will be allowed to visit Israel for tourism the first time.
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Palestinians have shunned the agreement as a "betrayal", while anger has erupted in the streets in Jerusalem, where dozens protested against such deals.
Last month, Palestine's fatwa council head Mufti Muhammed Hussain deplored an Israeli-funded UAE delegation visit to Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Despite the tensions, Israeli media cited an undiclosed official claiming the Al-Aqsa agreement also aims to "convey to US President-elect Joe Biden that the Palestinians do not reject the peace".
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