(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Israeli occupation authorities prevented the performance of Friday prayers at Al Aqsa Mosque after three Palestinians were killed and two Israelis were injured during an armed confrontation at the Lions Gate entrance to Temple Mount in the Old City of occupied East Jerusalem early yesterday.
Friday prayers at Al Aqsa were prevented for the first time since the occupation of Jerusalem in 1967, prompting anger among Palestinian religious leaders.
The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Mohamed Hussein, urged Palestinians to defy the closure and he was later reported to have been detained.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the attack in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but also said closing down the area could have repercussions.
The Palestinian president also called on the Israeli government to cancel its procedures regarding the closure of Al Aqsa Mosque to worshippers, and warned about the repercussions of these measures or its exploitation from any side to change the religious and historical aspect of the holy places.
The Palestinian news agency said Netanyahu confirmed that there will be no change in the status quo of the holy places, and called for reducing tensions between both sides.
Qatar strongly condemns Al Aqsa Mosque closure
Qatar strongly condemned yesterday the Israeli occupation authorities' prevention of Friday prayers at Al Aqsa Mosque, for the first time since 1969. The Foreign Ministry said in a statement yesterday that Israeli occupation army's closure of Al Aqsa Mosque, prevention of prayers there, and declaration of the area as a closed military zone was a severe violation of holy Islamic sites and a provocation to millions of Muslims around the world. It called on the international community to assume its responsibility in halting these violations.
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