Ramallah: The Israeli occupation’s security authorities have been banning Palestinians from entering the Al Aqsa Holy compound in the mornings even though Israeli authorities are aware that hundreds of students attend classes in the holy compound early in the morning.

The move restricts access to Muslim worshippers and students who study at the compound, also known as Al Haram Al Sharif.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned the Israeli move. While Palestinians have been restricted access to the mosque, far-right Jewish colonists and Israeli soldiers were allowed to enter the compound, provoking Palestinian anger as it is the third holiest site in Islam.

The Palestinian ministry has condemned calls of several Jewish and colonist groups for the Al Aqsa Mosque to be raided and taken over.

In a statement released Tuesday, the ministry announced that the Israeli government is fully responsible for the serious escalation and has urged it to immediately suspend the plan.

The ministry has also urged the UN and its related institutions to bear the responsibility to provide Al Aqsa compound with the necessary international protection. It called on the Arab and Muslim world to act and stand up to Israeli plans for Al Aqsa Mosque.

Israeli troops now allow only Palestinians aged above 50 years to enter the Al Aqsa compound at the correct time to be able to perform prayers.

“Earlier the Israeli armed forces and police did not ask aged Palestinians about their reason for coming to Al Aqsa Mosque. Now the police question even the aged visitors,” said Mazen Abu Qalbain, a political activist in occupied East Jerusalem. “They did not allow me in the mornings over the past few days even though they clearly know I am above 50 years old.”

He said that the ultraorthodox colonists enter the compound from Al Buraq gate, also known as the Western Wall, and from there they visit and inspect every single inch of the entire mosque.

“Now the colonists move freely within the holy compound and reach Al Marwani Prayer area of Al Aqsa discussing their coming plans from that particular spot to Al Rahma gate and Al Asbat gate,” he told Gulf News.

He said that the increasing numbers of Palestinian citizens of Israel visiting Al Aqsa Compound has been a disturbing issue for the occupation police and armed forces guarding the compound.

“Those security forces usually ban Palestinians citizens of Israel from entering the mosque, but they insist on getting in and spend hours waiting to get access and perform prayers,” he said. “The presence of Palestinian citizens of Israeli has been useful and has played a role in increasing the number of Palestinians at the gates of the holy compound.”

“Al Aqsa is slipping out of our hands piece by piece and there will come a time very shortly when the residents of occupied East Jerusalem will not be able to pray inside it at anytime,” he maintained.