Jerusalem's city engineer has ordered the closing within a week of the Old City's Mughrabi ramp, which leads to the hilltop compound that contains the al-Aqsa Mosque, saying it is "a threat to public safety."

However, the order brought immediate protests from Muslim authorities who object to Israeli modifications to the area. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has condemned Israeli work on the site as an attempt "to Judaize" Jerusalem and obscure its Muslim history.

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