J Street welcomes the Israeli security cabinet’s vote to remove the metal detectors placed at the entrance to the Holy Esplanade/Temple Mount. As the crisis in Jerusalem has escalated, the metal detectors had become a flashpoint for protest and outrage over perceived changes to the status quo governing access to the site.

The Israeli security establishment — including the IDF and the Shin Bet — had reportedly urged Prime Minister Netanyahu to remove the metal detectors. We were encouraged that the Israeli security cabinet has now heeded their advice, taking an important and constructive step to de-escalate the situation.

We were also relieved to learn that the crisis surrounding the Israeli embassy in Amman has been resolved and Israeli diplomats have been allowed to return home. The agreement reached between Jordan and Israel was the result of intensive diplomacy over the last few days, which reportedly included involvement by the United States and which may have played a role in the decision to remove the metal detectors at the Temple Mount.

We urge Israelis and Palestinians to continue to take measures to restore calm and stability. We also hope that they will fully resume security cooperation and communication in the coming days, and that they will both begin the process of working toward solutions to the contentious questions surrounding Jerusalem’s holy sites.