Israeli lawmakers visit contested al-Aqsa Mosque compound as Netanyahu lifts ban

Two Israeli lawmakers have visited Jerusalem's al-Aqsa Mosque compound, after Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu lifted a ban on parliamentarians entering the contested holy site.

Israeli Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel and Likud party member Sharren Haskel visited the hilltop compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif, on Sunday.

The Haram al-Sharif or Temple Mount is central to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with Palestinians fearing Israel may one day seek to assert further control over it.

It is located in East Jerusalem, occupied by Israel in 1967 and later annexed in a move never recognised by the international community.

It is considered the third holiest site in Islam and the most sacred for Jews.

Jews are allowed to visit but not pray there to avoid provoking tensions.

Netanyahu had instituted a ban on Israeli lawmakers visiting the site in November 2015 as a measure to ease tensions with the Palestinians.

Netanyahu's office had no comment about the lawmakers' visits.