For the last week, while Israeli forces have been excavating a controversial area around the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, hundreds of schoolchildren have been denied access to education.For the last week, while Israeli forces have been excavating a controversial area around the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, hundreds of schoolchildren have been denied access to education..
Israeli police have closed the childrens’ schools as part of the newly-imposed ‘security measures’ that were enforced during the excavation. The police say they fear that if the students go to school, they will protest against the digging.
The Israeli Association for Civil Rights stated today that, ‘there is no basis for taking such harmful steps just because of concern about participation in demonstrations’.
Israeli authorities have also banned all men under the age of 45 from entering the Muslim holy site.
Protests have taken place in Jerusalem and in various parts of the West Bank this week after Israel began the controversial excavations, which many Muslims fear will cause the collapse of their sacred mosque.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem is considered by Muslims to be the place where the Prophet Mohammed was raised into heaven, and is the third holiest site in Islam.
