Palestinian Muslims are refusing to pray inside the Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City despite having been reopened after Friday’s deadly shooting.

Their refusal is a protest at the extra security measures imposed by Israel, namely the installation of metal detectors at the entrances of the holy site.

For several days there have been clashes as tension remain high. After evening prayers at as many as 50 people were reportedly injured including a senior Muslim cleric .

Friday’s shooting of two Israeli police officers by three Arab-Israeli gunmen and in turn their deaths at the hands of Israeli security forces was one of the most serious incidents in the area in years.

Since Sunday the site which is also known to Jews as Temple Mount has been gradually reopened but things are far from calm.

A continuing confrontation could come to a head on Friday, the highlight of the Muslim religious week, when tens of thousands typically converge on the holy site for prayers.