Ramallah: Wednesday is expected to be a day of fierce confrontation between Palestinians and Israeli security forces in occupied East Jerusalem. Thousands of Palestinians from occupied Jerusalem and 1948 areas are expected to continue to pour into Al Haram Al Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary) to protect it from the daily incursions by Israeli colonists.
Shaikh Najeh Bakeerat, who heads the Sharia schools in Al Haram Al Sharif, the compound that houses Al Aqsa mosque, warned of a massacre in the event the Israelis insist on granting access to colonists.
“The Israelis will not be able to seal off the gates in the face of the thousands of Muslim worshippers and the confrontations will be fierce,” he told Gulf News.
He warned that Palestinians arriving at the site will not give security forces the chance to let colonists enter the mosque via the Al Magharibah (Moroccan) Gate.
Thousands of Jews are expected to arrive at the mosque to celebrate the night of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. Traditionally, Jews have only prayed at the Al Buraq Wall and Muslims have prayed inside Al Haram. In recent times however, Israeli occupation forces have allowed Jews to access the Muslim sites and provided them with security.
“The tougher the Israeli security forces act while escorting colonists, the tougher the Palestinian reaction will be,” Shaikh Bakeerat said.
“The Palestinian resistance is getting stronger,” he said, adding that in the past three years, a total of 4,000 Jerusalemites had been arrested while protecting Al Aqsa Mosque and currently a total of 570 Jerusalemites are to appear in the Israeli occupation’s courts on similar charges.
The Jordanian Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs said in a statement that Israel has crossed all lines of humanitarian security and respect for sacred sites. “Israel challenges the sentiments of 1.7 billion Muslims around the world by violating the sacred status of Al Aqsa Mosque,” he said.
He stressed that Jordan, which under an agreement with Israel is tasked with the administration of the Muslim site, categorically rejects the Israeli stance and terms it irresponsible, frenzied and disgraceful.
For the past couple of days, Israeli colonists have been entering Al Aqsa Mosque in small groups under tight security. The colonists enter the mosque after dawn prayers and stay until before the noon prayers.
Sources in occupied East Jerusalem told Gulf News that between 7.30am to 11.30am Israelis force the majority of Muslims in the mosque to leave. During this time, Israeli security forces restrict entry to the mosque to men over 50.
