An Israeli police sources in Jerusalem, reported that the police announced on Wednesday that the Al Aqsa Mosque will be closed to non-Muslim visitors on Thursday. Yet, any Muslim man under the age of 45 will also be barred from entering the mosque.
Extremist settlers and Jewish groups announced that they intend to enter the mosque area in order to “mark the destruction of the Jewish temple and the Tisha Be’av feast”, the Israeli Jerusalem Post reported.
Two days ago, the Israeli Hight Court of Justice ruled that the the Jewish group, known as Temple Mount Faithful, will be allowed to enter the mosque if it was open to visitors, except for the group leader, Gershon Salomon.
Jerusalem Police spokesperson, Shmuel Ben-Ruby, said that Jerusalem Police Chief Commander, Ilan Franco, made the decision after gathering intelligence information that “thousands of Muslims intend to flock to the mosque” in order to protect it.
All Muslim men younger than 45 will also be barred entering the mosque compound for the coming 48 hours.
Usually when extremist Jewish groups threatened to attack the mosque, the Israeli police would bar non-Muslims from entering it, this time the decision to bar entry to the mosque, including for Muslim men under 45, came fearing criticism from extremist Jewish groups, that the police is “surrendering to Arab threats”.
In an interview with the IMEMC, Sheikh Taiseer Al Tameemy, said that the extremist Jewish groups are continuously attempting to attack the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, and that these groups have already carried attack against it, and against Christian Holy sites in Nazareth and Jerusalem.
He added that Israel is also going on with its digging under the foundations of the Al Aqsa mosque, which threatens its basis.
Al Tameemy warned that any attack against the mosque could lead the area into further and endless violence.
“These groups resemble a Zionist plan to harm the presence of Arabs in this country, Muslims and Christians” Al Tameemy stated, “Attacks against churches and mosques everywhere in this this country have been ongoing, Israel is undermining our faith and our belief, it is underestimating out pride and honor”.
