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Photo:
Scene. Published by Maan News
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JERUSALEM (Ma'an) -- JERUSALEM (Ma'an) -- The Israeli authorities released, Sunday evening, seven Palestinian women from Jerusalem, who were detained earlier Sunday upon leaving Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, in occupied East Jerusalem.

Lawyer Khalid Zabarqa told Ma'an that the Russian compound Israeli police center released women Jihad al-Razem, Suad al-Ubeidiya, Dina Tarawa, Rania Ghazzawi, Ibtisam al-Tawil,Safaa al-Imam and minor Zainab Tarawa.

Zabarqa added that some of the women were banned from entering the Al-Aqsa compound for two weeks, while the others were scheduled trials to take place on Monday.

The women were detained for leaving the compound through the Bab al-Rahma Gate, the eastern area of the compound, warning of Israel detaining Palestinians under this pretext.

Zabarqa called upon Jordan to immediately intervene to protect Al-Aqsa.

The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, which sits just above the Western Wall plaza, houses both the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa mosque. The third holiest site in Islam, it is also venerated as Judaism's most holy place, as it sits where Jews believe the First and Second Temples once stood.

While Jewish visitation is permitted to the compound, non-Muslim worship at Al-Aqsa is prohibited according to an agreement signed between Israel and the Jordanian government after Israel’s illegal occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967.

Despite the agreement with Jordan -- which is the custodian of Al-Aqsa -- Israeli authorities regularly allow Jewish visitors to enter the site, often under armed guard. Such visits are typically made by right-wingers attempting to unsettle the status quo at the site, and coincide with restrictions on Palestinian access, including bans on entrance and detentions.