Netanyahu: Israel to Set Security Limits on Ramadan Prayers at Jerusalem's Al Aqsa

PALESTINA-ISRAEL - JERUSALEM- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that he had made a "balanced decision" to allow freedom of worship at Jerusalem's Al Aqsa mosque during Ramadan, but that access would be limited according to security needs.

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Asked about the possibility of blocking access for Israeli Muslims to Al Aqsa, a flashpoint prayer site in Jerusalem's Old City, Netanyahu's office said: "The prime minister made a balanced decision to allow freedom of worship within the security needs determined by professionals." It gave no details.

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Israel often sets limits on which worshippers can reach the prayer site - for example, based on age - to avoid violence from erupting at the site, which is part of a compound also holy in Judaism.