JERUSALEM, April 11, 2012 (WAFA) – A number of Palestinians were injured Wednesday when they tried to stop Jewish settlers from holding religious ritual at one of the gates to al-Haram al-Sharif (the Holy Sanctuary) that leads to Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Old City of Jerusalem, according to officials from the Muslim trust, the Waqf.
They said a group of fanatic Jews attempted to storm al-Aqsa compound from Bab al-Majlis after performing religious rituals near it when mosque guards stopped them.
Clashes broke out between the fanatics and the guards causing harm to one of the guards, they said.
Police intervened to later allow the fanatics to tour the outside yards of al-Aqsa Mosque compound but without holding any religious rituals.
Acts by Jewish fanatics against al-Aqsa Mosque increase during Jewish holidays. Jews claim the site was the location of the first and second Jewish temples some 3000 years ago and therefore want to destroy the mosque, the third holiest site in Islam, and replace it with the third temple.
Non-Muslims are allowed to enter the yards of al-Aqsa Mosque only through Magharbe Gate, which runs alongside the wall of the Buraq, known to Jews as the Western Wall.
R.Q./M.S.
