At a press conference Sunday morning, Israel Police commissioner Dudi Cohen said that he would not allow any group to prevent anyone from worshipping on the Temple Mount as they saw fit, and that the Jerusalem Police would treat any rioters seeking to do so "with a heavy hand." He added that police had finally managed to clear the site, and were holding consultations on the situation.
Israel Radio reported that the press conference was delayed by several minutes, because Arabs had blocked Cohen from leaving the Mount by blocking a door. Police cleared them away and enabled Cohen to leave the site and speak to reporters.