Muslim leaders condemn Israel’s desecration of Al-Aqsa Mosque

The West Bank’s most senior Muslim cleric, Sheikh Tayseer al-Tamimi, strongly denounced the recent invasion of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by Jewish extremists and Israeli occupation forces, Imemc News reported.

Sheikh Tamimi said that fanatic Jewish groups have tried several times to storm Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s third holiest site, during the past three decades. He also charged that such groups attempted to bomb the mosque to replace it with a synagogue.

He added that such attempts were always supported by the Israeli army, which controls all access to Al-Aqsa and bans the Palestinians from entering the holy site.

Sheikh Tamimi also blamed the Israeli government of being responsible for any reaction that might result from such violations. He also pointed that Israeli aggressions against Muslim holy sites have reached the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, in a clear attempt to Judaize the two holy shrines.

The "Judaization" of Muslim holy sites through the use of force has been strongly condemned by the International Court of Justice and the United Nations. But, as Sheikh Tamimi pointed out, such desecration of Muslim holy sites by Israeli citizens, backed by their government, have continued unabated.

Last week’s invasion of Al-Aqsa mosque comes on the anniversary of 'Jerusalem Day', which marks Israel’s seizure of Jerusalem during the 1967 Middle East War.

To celebrate the event, Israel’s Prime Minister Ehud Olmert recently said in a speech that “throughout Israel's 58 years of independence there is one moment unmatched by any other. There has never been one like it throughout Jewish history and never will be. That same moment the call was heard – 'Temple Mount [referring to the site of the Al-Aqsa mosque] is ours'…There has never been, and never will be another home for the Jewish people."

But Sheikh Tamimi insisted that the Mosque was entirely a Muslim sacred shrine, condemning the Israelis’ attempts to destroy the mosque and build a "Third Temple" instead.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat also denounced the latest invasion, saying that “this dangerous development comes in the context of Israeli aggression and assassinations which aim to inflame the region and worsen the situation.”

Erekat also said that the Palestinian Authority will ask the so-called Middle East peace Quartet to intervene to stop the Israelis’ aggressions.

Sheikh Tamimi also urged the Muslim Ummah to always defend Al-Aqsa Mosque, stressing that peace and security will not prevail until Israel returns occupied Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa to the Muslims.

AlJazeera