Palestinians attend prayers in Al Aqsa mosque

(10 Feb 2007) 1. Wide of Dome of the Rock, zoom in to people walking into Al-Aqsa compound for Saturday prayers 2. Mid of people walking inside Al-Aqsa compound 3. Mid of Palestinians gathered near Flower Gate in Jerusalem's Old City walls, chanting slogans 4. Mid of policemen on horseback 5. Various of Palestinians preparing for prayers 6. Various of Palestinians praying 7. Pan of compound STORYLINE: Palestinians attended Saturday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem's Old City, a day after clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians over construction work near the mosque. Israeli police forces took positions inside and around the Old City as Palestinians chanted slogans. A group also gathered near the Old City's Flower Gate to pray. Earlier on Saturday Palestinians and Israeli Arabs continued protesting against the construction work and stones were thrown at a tourist bus, causing some damage. The events follow Friday's clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians over the construction work which erupted into violence as Israeli police in full riot gear clashed with Muslim worshippers on the grounds of Islam's third-holiest site. Protests against the construction have spread throughout the Muslim world, where demonstrators accused Israel of plotting to harm Islamic shrines. During Friday's violence, hundreds of teenagers who had been barred from the Al-Aqsa mosque hurled stones, iron bars, vegetables and at least one firebomb at police, authorities said. Police responded with stun grenades. The melee slightly injured 17 protesters and 19 police officers, and 17 rioters were arrested, a police spokesman said. Israel denies the repair work and accompanying excavations will come anywhere near the compound, known as the Temple Mount to Jews and the Noble Sanctuary to Muslims. Israeli officials have accused Palestinians of exploiting the project, to repair a damaged ramp leading to the holy site, in order to rally their population against Israel. The site - home of the Al-Aqsa mosque complex and Dome of the Rock - is a frequent site of confrontation. When Israel opened a tunnel alongside the compound in 1996, it sparked clashes that killed 80 people. In 2000, when then-opposition leader Ariel Sharon visited the site, it sparked the second intifada (uprising) and years of Israeli/Palestinian violence. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...