RAMALLAH, July 5, 2015 (WAFA) – At least 184 violations by Israeli authorities against the holy sites in East Jerusalem and Hebron were reported in the recent two months, Sunday reported Yousef Id’ies, Minister of Waqf and Religious Affairs.

While violations in Jerusalem mainly involved provocative visits by extremist Jewish settlers, those in Hebron included a forcible shutdown of a major gate and unsubstantiated prevention of the call for prayer.

Other violations in Jerusalem also included the approval of the creation of a Jewish synagogue in Jerusalem’s Old City neighborhood, in addition to approving the construction of a museum at the site of Ma’man Allah cemetery near al-Aqsa Mosque.

Last April, Al-Aqsa Foundation for Endowment and Heritage warned of Israeli bids advised by the so-called Temple Mount groups to officially turn the historical Tankaziya School, located within al-Aqsa Mosque compound, into a Jewish synagogue. The school was turned into a synagogue for enlisted soldiers and a military site for the Israel Border Police gendarmerie in 1969.

Chairman of Al-Aqsa Foundation, Amir al-Khatib, has earlier warned of the serious repercussions of such a sacrilegious move.

“What should we understand of Israel’s frequent proposals and bids turning part of al-Aqsa Mosque into a Jewish synagogue after it was misappropriated by the Israeli occupation and transformed into a military site and, at times, a synagogue?” al-Khatib questioned. 

Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest place in Islam, has been the center of Palestinians-Israeli conflict. Jews refer to the site as the “Temple Mount” and organize provocative visits there almost on daily basis.

The site has witnessed recurrent clashes in recent years between Muslim worshipers and Israeli police units, most frequently due to provocative visits by Jewish extremists who believe the Mosque should be replaced with a Jewish temple.

M.N/M.H