Thousands of police deployed in Jerusalem for first Ramadan Friday prayer

Heavy security forces were deployed in Jerusalem, the Old City, Temple Mount and the roads leading to the capital for Friday prayers on the first day of the Muslim festival of Ramadan. More than 3,000 officers are on duty in the expectation of some 200,000 Muslim worshippers streaming to the Al Aqsa Mosque. Non-Muslim visitors including Israeli Jews are barred from Temple Mt on Fridays.  PM Naftali Bennett is leading a special conference with security chiefs to decide whether to confirm the decision to ease security restrictions on Ramadan for Palestinian access to Israel in light of the murder of 2 Israelis sitting in a bar on Thursday night on Tel Aviv’s Dizengoff St.  by a Palestinian gunman from Jenin. This was the fourth terrorist outrage since last month’s attacks in Beersheba, Hadera and Bnei Brak claimed 11 lives.