Israel eased restrictions at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque today after US Secretary of State John Kerry announced agreement on steps to reduce tensions at the flashpoint compound.
The site, which is holy to Jews as well as Muslims, has been the focus of months of unrest in annexed Arab east Jerusalem, that has spread to the occupied West Bank and Arab communities across Israel, raising fears of a new Palestinian uprising.
The Palestinians have been infuriated by a far-right Jewish campaign for prayer rights at Al-Aqsa that threatens an ultra-sensitive, decades-old status quo.
The violence prompted Kerry to hold a flurry of meetings with the two sides in neighbouring Jordan yesterday, after which he announced unspecified confidence-building measures to ease the underlying tensions.
Men of all ages were allowed entry for the main weekly Muslim prayers at Al-Aqsa for the first time in "months", Israeli police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld told AFP.
Amir, 18, from east Jerusalem's volatile Silwan neighborhood said it was the first time since July that he had been allowed in.
"It's been four months that I haven't been able to pray at Al-Aqsa on Friday, even during the holy month of Ramadan," he told AFP.
Police said that 40,000 worshipers attended the prayers, which passed off without incident.
Rosenfeld linked the decision to lift age restrictions to Kerry's talks in Jordan with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and King Abdullah II.
"Firm commitments" were made to maintain the status quo at the compound, Kerry said at a press conference with Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh.
Israel and Jordan, which has custodial rights at the compound, also agreed to take steps to "de-escalate the situation" in Jerusalem and to "restore confidence".
"We are not going to lay out each practical step. It is more important they be done in a quiet and effective way," Kerry said.
"It is clear to me that they are serious about working on the effort to create de-escalation and to take steps to instil confidence that the status quo will be upheld."
Kerry met separately in Amman with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, who he said also committed to help calm emotions.
"President Abbas and I... Discussed constructive steps, real steps - not rhetoric but real steps that people can take - in order to de-escalate the situation and create a climate where we can move forward in a positive and constructive way," Kerry said.
