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JERUSALEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli police arrested one Palestinian man and two women as they were leaving the Al-Aqsa mosque compound on Tuesday, witnesses said.

The detainees were identified as Taha Shawahna, Refqa al-Rajabi, and Sameeha Shahin.

Witnesses also said that more than 50 right-wing Jews escorted by 12 Israeli police officers had toured the mosque compound.

The third holiest site in Islam, the Al-Aqsa mosque compound is also venerated as Judaism's most holy place as it sits where Jews believe the First and Second Temples once stood.

Following Israel's occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967, Israel has maintained an agreement with the Islamic trust that controls the Al-Aqsa compound not to allow non-Muslim prayer in the area. Jewish prayer is allowed at the neighboring Western Wall, which is the last remnant of the Second Temple.

However, Israeli forces regularly escort Jewish visitors to Al-Aqsa, leading to anger among Muslim worshipers.