Al Azhar condemns Israeli 39violations39 at Al Aqsa Mosque

9/16/2015 3:31:56 AM

(MENAFN- The Journal Of Turkish Weekly) Al-Azhar the highest seat of learning in the Sunni Muslim world condemned Israel forstorming the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem.

In a Tuesday statement the Cairo-based institution called on the Arab League the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the international community to do their part in "putting an end to Israeli violations with a view to maintaining world peace and security".

Dozens of Israeli forces on Tuesday forced their way into the flashpoint site for the third day in a row and attacked Muslim worshippers.

According to eyewitnesses Israeli forces fired tear gas stun grenades and rubber bullets at worshipers near the compound’s iconic Al-Aqsa Mosque and Al-Qibali Mosque.

“Israeli forces went up to the roof of Al-Qibali Mosque destroyed its historical gates and fired rubber bullets and gas bombs inside the building”Omar al-Qiswani Al-AqsaMosque's director said.“They entered the mosque with their military boots and arrested a Palestinian youth after beating him.”

Tensions havebeen running high at Al-AqsaMosque complex after Jewish extremists called on followers to storm the mosque during Rosh Hashanah the Jewish New Year.

For Muslims Al-Aqsarepresents the world's third holiest site. Jews for their part refer to the area as the "Temple Mount" claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.

Some extremist Jewish groups have called for the demolition of the Al-AqsaMosque so that a Jewish temple might be built in its place.

In September 2000 a visit to Al-Aqsaby controversial Israeli politician Ariel Sharon sparked what later became known as the "Second Intifada" a popular uprising against the Israeli occupation in which thousands of Palestinians were killed.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem during the 1967 Middle East War. It later annexed the city in 1980 claiming it as the capital of the self-proclaimed Jewish state in a move never recognized by the international community.

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