LIVE BLOG: Jerusalem on the brink

The Wadi Hilweh Information Center has posted a video of the funeral of Mu'taz Hijazi on Facebook:

The funeral of Mu'taz Hijazi has begun in Jerusalem, with hundreds of mourner defying a police-imposed cap of 45 people in order to attend.

US state department spokesperson Jen Psaki told reporters on Thursday that it was in the interests of peace for the "status quo" to be maintained at the Al-Aqsa compound/Temple Mount.

"We're extremely concerned by escalating tensions across Jerusalem and particularly surrounding the Haram al-Sharif, Temple Mount," Psaki said. "It is actually critical that all sides exercise restraint, refrain from provocative actions and rhetoric and preserve the status quo on the Haram al-Sharif Temple Mount in word and in practice."

A "continued commitment by Israelis, Palestinians and Jordanians to preserve the historic status quo at this holy site is critical," said Psaki, according to AFP.

According to the Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Yehuda Glick's condition has improved, with Ynet quoting them as being "more optimistic than yesterday."

Israeli police say the Al-Aqsa compound has been re-opened and restored to normal conditions.

"It was decided to restore (the compound) to normal... effective immediately," police spokeswoman Luba Samri told AFP, adding that because of a fear of unrest at Friday midday prayers, entry for men would be restricted to those over 50.

Hatem Abdel Qader, the Palestinian Authority's former minister for Jerusalem affairs, told MEE:

"There is an unprecedented Israeli escalation in Jerusalem. Since this morning, Jerusalem has become like a military barracks, with the heavy presence of Israeli army and police.

"The closure of al-Aqsa mosque is a dangerous and unprecedented since 1967. There are currently many clashes taking place in Jerusalem: in Jabal Mukaber, al-Thawri, Silwad, Wadi al-Jouz, and Ras al-Amod.

"The Israeli government is responsible for all this, by its harsh measures against the people of Jerusalem.

"There is a popular (Palestinian) anger against Israeli restrictions against Jerusalemites as well as tensions in the whole of the West Bank.

"If the Israelis continue with their escalations and crackdowns, then the uproar will continue and even become an intifada. The Israelis would be mistaken to think that they can supress with arms (Palestinian) protests. If they continue, then this would spill into the rest of the West Bank."  

Israeli news site Walla is reporting that the al-Aqsa compound will reopen on Friday after the death of Mu'taz Hijazi this morning.

There has as yet been no official confirmation of these reports.

Fatah, the organisation which controls the West Bank, has called for a "day of rage" on Friday "in support of al-Aqsa Mosque and occupied Jerusalem."

In a statement released on Thursday, the group called on Palestinians throughout the territories, as well as those in the diaspora, to join a day of rage to express their "rejection of violations of their holy sites, primarily al-Aqsa Mosque."

According to the statement, Palestinians will express their view that "violations at the al-Aqsa compound are tantamout to an announcement of religious war on the Palestinian people and the Arab Islamic nation."

Mustafa Barghouthi, general secretary of the Palestinian National Initiative, told local news site Palestine Today on Thursday that "the third intifada will continue.

"It will not be stopped by Israeli oppression."

Many have questioned whether the tensions in Jerusalem over al-Aqsa Mosque could erupt into a third intifada, or uprising. 

The second intifada broke out in September 2000 after Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon visited the holy site.

Just after Barghouthi made his comments, Israeli police chief Yohanon Danino told Israeli news site Walla that "we will not allow an intifada to break out."

The Israeli court responsible for carrying out the post-mortem on Mu'taz Hijazi, who was shot this morning, has announced that his body will be returned to his family tonight at 23:00 local time (21:00 GMT).

Authorities have said that 45 mourners will be permitted to attend his funeral when it is held - there has been no indication as to when the ceremony will be held.

Last week, there were fierce clashes after Israeli authorities imposed restrictions on the funeral of Abdel Rahman al-Shaludi, the man accused of a "terror attack" in Jerusalem that killed a three-month old baby and an Ecuadorian woman.

Protesters carried a mock coffin through the streets and clashed with Israeli forces, after authorities decreed that only 20 people, whose names had been submitted for security vetting, would be allowed to attend.

The father of Moutiz hajazi, the alleged palestinian shooter of a Jewish right-wing activist has arrived home after several hours of detention by Israeli police.

He told ABC News producer, Nasser Atta, that "the Israeli occupation is the only evil in the holy land" and that "what Israel is doing in Jerusalem is terrorism".

Jeff Halper, co-founder and Director of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, spoke to MEE after reports emerged that Israeli authorities intend to demolish the house of Mu'taz Hijazi tomorrow.

"Israel stopped punitive demolitions in 2005 because the army itself decided that they are counter-productive and simply inflame the situation. The reappearance of punitive demolitions like this is simply atavistic revenge: it is entirely primitive, and there is no rationale for it.

"It will not contribute to calming the situation – and of course it is illegal under both international and Israeli law. It is doubly illegal because Mu’taz Hijazi was denied due process of law; he was not tried or brought before a court. To demolish his house after this would be collective punishment. You demolish the home of innocent people, when he himself could have been innocent – he was never charged."

If Hijazi's house is demolished, Halper said, he does not expect an immediate blow-back.

"It will just add to the resentment, the hatred and the alienation between the two peoples. It is part of a process of repression – they are supressing Palestinians instead of trying to find a political solution. In my view, it signals the end of any attempt to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict."

Leading Israeli human rights organisation B'Tselem has said in a statement just released that it is 'shocked and concerned' over the attempt to assassinate right-wing activist Yehuda Glick yesterday.

BT'selem urges the police, the Jerusalem Municipality and Israeli and Palestinian public leaders to act responsibly and safeguard the well-being and human rights of all residents in East Jerusalem and West Jerusalem.

Graffiti daubed overnight on one of only a handful of mixed Israeli schools has been changed - it previously read "Death to Arabs."

It now says: "here, there is love, friendship and partnership between Jews and Arabs."