العربي الديمقراطي The Latest From The Arab World
مقالات مشابهة
On Wednesday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel of complicity in letting Jewish “extremists” into the al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem as dozens of Palestinian youth protested against Jewish people entering the holy site before a religious feast.
“Aggression against the blessed al-Aqsa mosque is increasing, led by settlers and extremists, sponsored by the Israeli government”, Abbas said.
Palestinian youth had thrown flares and stones at the police after Jewish visitors entered the compound on the eve of Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, LubaSamri, spokesperson for the Israeli Police,said. The site has seen several clashes between Palestinian youth and policemen, since the Palestinians object to what they consider an attempted Israeli and Jewish takeover of the site, which is administered by Palestinian and Jordanian authorities.
The site houses the al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock, revered by Muslims, and is also the location of the biblical Jewish temples. Non-Muslims can visit the compound with police regulation, but Jews are only allowed to pray at the Western Wall below the compound.
Azzamal-Khatib, the director of the Islamic Waqf that oversees the site, said that he urged the police to prevent Jews from visiting the site to avoid clashes with Muslims who had stayed at the mosque overnight.
“I asked that there would be no contact, but police refused, and this is the result”, he said.
Jordan, which under the 1994 peace treaty became the custodian of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, on Wednesday condemned Israeli police conduct at the site.
“The forces of the occupation … prevented religious officials entering (the compound) and cleared it of all Muslims, while at the same time enabling Jewish extremists to storm it, and pray with security forces protection”,Mohammed Momeni,aspokesman for the Jordanian government, said.
He also called on Israel to “stop its devastating campaign against the Al-Aqsa mosque, religious officials and worshippers”, slamming “police… firing bullets and bombs inside the compound, which injured dozens of people”.