Israeli police attack al-Aqsa mosque

An Israeli policeman is detaining a Palestinian outside the al-Aqsa mosque compound (file photo).

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/184068.html

Israeli troops have attacked Palestinian worshippers in al-Aqsa mosque compound, using tear gas and stun guns to disperse the crowd.

An Israeli police spokesman said troops entered the holy site and clashed with Palestinian worshippers after they threw stones at security forces.

The spokesman did not mention how the stone throwing started.

Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, however, says Jewish settlers provoked the incident after they desecrated the compound with the grace of Israeli forces, Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported.

Three Palestinians were arrested but no injuries were reported during the clashes.

A spokesman for the Islamic authorities running the mosque said only one or two youths had been throwing stones.

The complex, which is the most important religious site in al-Quds (Jerusalem), has been the scene of violent clashes between Palestinians and Israeli troops during the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces have abducted eight Palestinians, including senior Hamas official Wasfi Qabha, in the West Bank, Palestinian security officials said.

Qabha, who was minister for prisoner affairs in the Hamas government in 2006, was kidnapped from his home in the West Bank city of Jenin early on Friday.

He was kept in Israeli prisons from 2007 until 2010. The Israeli regime has abducted at least 11 Hamas politicians in the West Bank since October last year.

The Israel army confirmed it had made an arrest in Jenin, but refused to provide further details.

Israel to limit access to al-Aqsa

A view of the al-Aqsa Mosque in East al-Quds (Jerusalem), (file photo)

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/179657.html

Israel says it will restrict access to the al-Aqsa Mosque compound ahead of the 63rd anniversary of the occupation of Palestine by the Israeli army, also known as the Day of Nakba (Catastrophe).

Shmulik Ben Rubi, an Israeli police spokesman, says only men over 45 and women holding Israeli-issued identity cards will be allowed to enter the mosque compound on Friday, AFP reported on Thursday.

He added that Israeli police will be deployed around the site in East al-Quds (Jerusalem) to reinforce the restriction.

The latest development comes as Palestinians have begun ceremonies marking the major grievance and aim to hold a series of other demonstrations in the run-up to the Day of Nakba on Sunday.

The event marks the anniversary of a 1948 event, when Israeli forces displaced some 700,000 Palestinians, forcing them to flee to different neighboring countries.

The soldiers wiped nearly 500 Palestinian villages and towns off the map, leaving an estimated total of 4.7 million refugees dreaming of an eventual return to their homeland more than six decades later.

Meanwhile, thousands of Egyptians also plan to cross into the blockaded Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing on Sunday.

The Egyptians intend to hold a major protest rally against the years-long Israeli siege of Gaza as well.

The Israeli regime laid an economic siege on the Gaza Strip in June 2007 after the democratically-elected Hamas lawmakers took over the administration of the enclave.

The blockade has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the impoverished territory.

Some 1.5 million people are being denied their basic rights, including the freedom of movement and their rights to appropriate living conditions, work, health and education.

'Hurva synagogue prelude to al-Aqsa destruction'

Source: PressTV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=120935&sectionid=351020202


The Gaza-based head of al-Quds International Institution warns against the reopening of Hurva synagogue as part of an Israeli plan to erect a Jewish temple on al-Aqsa ruins.

In an interview with al-Alam, Dr. Ahmed Abu Halabiya on Monday described the restoration of Hurva as part of a project to destruct al-Aqsa, some 700 meters away, and build the Israeli claimed Solomon's Temple in its place.

Israeli officials have reportedly called on Israelis to march into the al-Aqsa Mosque on Tuesday, highly revered as the third holiest site in the Muslim world.

Abu Halabiya called on Palestinian officials to take legal action through international organizations, such as the United Nations and the international Criminal Court in The Hague, and press for the trial of Israeli officials for the violations in al-Quds.

The Hamas MP in the Palestinian legislative body said protecting al-Quds's Islamic identity is a responsibility not only for the Palestinians, but all Muslims across the globe.

Also on Monday, Palestinian groups convened in Gaza city at a conference on al-Quds, calling on the Muslim ummah and the Arab world to stand up against Israel's provocations in the holy city.

They warned the Israeli regime against any violation against the al-Aqsa Mosque and vowed to defend their religion and sanctities if Israel risks igniting a religious war in the region.

The Monday meeting was attended by representatives from most Palestinian factions, including Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The Fatah-led Palestinian Authority, however, refused to participate.
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Iran Grills Israel over Synagogue Reopening



Source: PressTV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=120943&sectionid=351020101


Iran has deplored Israel's reopening of a synagogue near al-Aqsa mosque, demanding the international community to take action against the move.

Israel on Monday reopened the Hurva synagogue in East Jerusalem (al-Quds), as part of what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Israel's "heritage."

The move has sparked protests by Palestinians in the holy city and elsewhere in the West Bank. Clashes have also been reported between the police and angry Palestinians.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast on Tuesday condemned Israel's move as a “catastrophe that has distressed the Islamic world.”

He said the world community was expected to stand up against the move.

“We condemn the move and call on the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), the Arab League and the United Nations to take appropriate measures to stop this occupying regime,” Mehmanparast said.

He also condemned Israel's plan to increase settlement activities.

Israel announced last week that it would erect 1,600 new settler houses in al-Quds, as US Vice President Joe Biden was in Israel over the so-called peace talks with the Palestinians.

Mehmanparast said Biden's visit was not aimed at stopping Israel from settlement activities, saying it was, in fact, a “cover-up” for Israel's measures.

He said the US had to take into account “numerous considerations” when it came to Israel.

Although the US criticized Israel for stalling peace talks through settlement activities, it backed Israel's reopening of the rebuilt synagogue.

The US State Department said Palestinians' criticisms of the reopening of the building could "only serve to heighten tensions.”

Despite Israel's insistence that there is no political motives behind the move, the reopening of the synagogue is regarded as part of Israel's plan to judaize al-Quds.

Head of al-Quds international institution, Dr. Ahmed Abu Halabiya, said the reopening of Hurva synagogue in al-Quds was part of an Israeli plan "to build a Jewish temple on al-Aqsa ruins."

Hatem Abdel Qader, the Palestinian Authority's official in charge of al-Quds affairs also expressed concern over what he described as "not just a synagogue."

"We warn against this action by the Zionist enemy to rebuild and dedicate the Hurva synagogue. It signifies the destruction of the al-Aqsa mosque and the building of the temple," he said.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is Islam's third holiest location.
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US backs Israel on synagogue amid alleged rows



Source: PressTV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=120927&sectionid=351020202

Israel has reopened a synagogue in East Jerusalem (al-Quds) in a move backed by the US, igniting angry protests by Palestinians in the holy city and elsewhere in the West Bank.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took pride in the reopening of the Hurva synagogue, around 700 meters from the al-Aqsa Mosque in al-Qud's Old City, as part of Israel's "heritage."

"We permit believers of other faiths to conserve their places of worship. We proudly protect our heritage, while at the same time allowing others freedom of religion," he said in a video message.

But Palestinians both in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip joined to condemn the move which came amid highly stepped up security and the deployment of thousands of Israeli soldiers in Muslims' third holy city of al-Quds.

Head of al-Quds international institution, Dr. Ahmed Abu Halabiya, warned the reopening of Hurva synagogue in al-Quds was part of an Israeli plan "to build a Jewish temple on al-Aqsa ruins."

Head of the Hamas political bureau Khaled Meshaal slammed Tel Aviv's "falsification of history," saying, "Israel is playing with fire and touching off the first spark to make the region explode."

Hatem Abdel Qader, the Palestinian Authority's official in charge of al-Quds affairs, expressed concern over what he described as "not just a synagogue."

"This synagogue will be a prelude to violence, extremism and religious fanaticism, and that will not be limited to extremist Jews but includes members of the Israeli government," he warned.

"We warn against this action by the Zionist enemy to rebuild and dedicate the Hurva synagogue. It signifies the destruction of the al-Aqsa mosque and the building of the temple."

The US State Department, however, criticized Palestinian comments for "mischaracterizing the event in question, which can only serve to heighten the tensions we see."

Monday's reopening ceremony, which Netanyahu said symbolized religious coexistence, came while Palestinian men under the age of 50 along with non-Muslims were barred from entering the al-Aqsa Mosque compound for a fourth day following clashes between the police and Palestinians.

Hamas on Tuesday announced a "day of rage" in response to the dedication of the restored synagogue in East al-Quds, promoting a red alert warning from Israeli officials who deployed some 3,000 troops in the area.

The US support for the controversial reopening of the synagogue raises serious questions over a purported dispute between Tel Aviv and Washington over the continued Israeli settlement construction.

Some analysts argue that the ostensible tensions are to provide a cover for Israel's encroach upon Palestinian and Islamic identity of East al-Quds, long demanded by Palestinians as the capital city of their future Palestinian state.

Israeli forces raid Al-Aqsa Mosque compound

Source: PressTV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=120101§ionid=351020202


Israeli forces have stormed the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the occupied East Jerusalem Al-Quds and cordoned off its premises where dozens of Palestinian protesters had gathered.

Eyewitnesses said that Israeli policemen had encircled the Al-Aqsa Mosque since the early morning hours and clashes erupted in the holy complex after the Israeli forces raided the area to push out the Palestinians.

The protesters responded to the attack by throwing stones. Several people were injured and dozens more detained in the unrest.

Muslims consider the frequent Israeli attacks on the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound as part of a Judaization campaign that targets the holy city of Jerusalem Al-Quds and a provocation of Muslim feelings.

Israel occupied Al-Quds during a 1967 aggression and later annexed it. The status of the city is among the thorniest issues of the so-called peace process with the Palestinians, underscoring the reality that any Palestinian state should include the city as its capital.

Israeli forces raid Al-Aqsa Mosque

Source: PressTV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=119685&sectionid=351020201


Israeli forces have raided Al-Aqsa holy compound in Jerusalem Al-Quds to crackdown on a number of Palestinian protesters in the area.

Clashes erupted in the holy complex after the Israeli forces raided the area to push out dozens of Palestinian protestors in the mosque ground on Sunday, a Press TV correspondent reported.

Police also closed the roads into the Old City of Al-Quds in the occupied part of the city, preventing entry to all Palestinians under the age of 50.

Palestinian protesters responded to the attack by throwing stones. One Palestinian was arrested in the clashes.

The demonstrators reportedly spent the night at the mosque following an announcement by the Israeli settlers to enter the holy site to celebrate the Jewish Holiday of Purim.

Israel occupied East Al-Quds during a 1967 aggression and later annexed it. The status of the city is among the thorniest issues of the so-called peace process with the Palestinians, underscoring the reality that any Palestinian state should include the city as its capital.
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Israeli Police Storm Jerusalem Site



Source: Al Jazeera
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2010/02/201022893324135262.html

At least six Palestinians have reportedly been injured after Israeli police forces stormed a holy site in Jerusalem to disperse Muslim worshippers.

Palestinian sources said that Israeli forces fired rubber bullets and tear gas at the worshippers holding protests in the Al-Aqsa mosque compound on Sunday.

Israel said the situation was calm and denied that rubber bullets had been fired.

Micky Rosenfeld, the Israeli police spokesman, said that the police force dispersed about 20 masked protesters who were inside the compound.

The police said protesters had thrown stones at visitors to the complex.

The area, known to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif, or the Noble Sanctuary, and to Jews as the Temple Mount, has been a frequent flashpoint for conflicts before, with even low-level scuffles escalating into drawn-out battles.

Sherine Tadros, reporting for Al Jazeera from Jerusalem on Sunday, said: "This was all sparked early this morning when - according to the Israeli police - there was a group of tourists entering the Al-Aqsa compound in the Old City.

"They were pelted with rocks by the Palestinian demonstrators [who] decided to keep on with their resistance to the entry of these tourists into the Haram compound.

"That sparked clashes outside and near the area, which has resulted in an escalation ... outside the walls of the Old City."

Reporting later from the scene, our correspondent said: "There's a heavy police presence but it does seem calm now."

A visit to the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in 2000 by Ariel Sharon, then an Israeli opposition leader and later prime minister, is blamed for igniting deadly clashes that escalated into the popular Palestinian uprising known as Al-Aqsa Intifada.

Arab Officials Condemn Aqsa Raid

Jordanian and Palestinian officials have condemned the Israeli security forces for storming Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque on Sunday during clashes that left many Palestinian worshippers wounded.

Deploring the Israeli action, the officials said it amounted to a "violation of the mosque's sanctity".

Trouble had broken out after a group of about 150 Israelis turned up and entered the mosque compound, reportedly under the guard of local authorities, on the occasion of Yom Kippur, the Jewish holy day.

Speaking to the JNA state news agency on Monday, Nabil al-Sharif, the Jordanian media affairs minister, said Amman viewed the Israeli action as a "provocative act".
"Both international law and relevant conventions and resolutions call for protection of places of worship against any violations", he said.
"We decry the repeated storming of the mosque by extremist Jewish groups and Israeli forces as a provocation that would exacerbate tension and ignite further violence that threatens regional security and stability."

Jordan's foreign ministry summoned the Israeli charge d'affaires in Amman to denounce the raid, saying that it came at "a time of concerted international efforts for resumption of peace talks" to find a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Palestinian condemnation

Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, said the Israeli security forces' action was a deliberate provocation in support of unwelcome settler hardliners who opposed an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Noting that riots during Yom Kippur were becoming an annual event, Erekat compared Sunday's scuffles to the violence that followed the trip to the site in the year 2000 by the ex-Israeli PM Ariel Sharon.
"We've seen this before, and we know what the consequences are," Erekat said in a statement. "
"Providing a police escort for settlers who are against peace at all costs, and whose presence is deliberately designed to provoke a reaction, are not the actions of someone who is committed to peace, but of someone who will go to extraordinary lengths to scuttle all hopes of peace," Erekat said.

Raid details

Sunday's clashes between Israeli settlers and Palestinian worshippers saw the Israeli forces intervening and firing rubber bullets and stun grenades.
The Al-Aqsa Foundation had warned a few days earlier that Israeli authorities were planning to permit settler’s entrance to the area. Officials in East Jerusalem predicted that the break-in would occur on Sunday under the pretext of marking Yom Kippur.

Jews refer to sections of the mosque complex as historically part of their Temple Mount.

Many Palestinians sustained serious eye and head injuries. Nine Palestinians were also detained following the scuffles, Israeli sources said.

Clashes also erupted near Majlis Gate, one of the main entrances to the mosque, after police prevented worshippers from entering the area, according to witnesses. More clashes followed noon prayers near the Lions' Gate entrance to Al-Aqsa.
Last year, a similar incident on the Yom Kippur holiday resulted in damage to dozens of cars and shops.

Israel captured the Old City of Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it along with the rest of mostly Arab East Jerusalem in a move not recognized by the International Community.

Report by: Al Jazeera English
http://english.aljazeera.net/