Posted on 04/09/2005 7:11:40 PM PDT by Valin
Israel 'to stop extremist rally'
The compound is holy to Muslims and Jews Israeli authorities have vowed not to allow Jewish extremists to stage a rally at the Temple Mount - which is sacred to Muslims and Jews alike. The hilltop area known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif is home to the al-Aqsa mosque, Islam's third holiest site.
Palestinians have threatened to break a ceasefire if the right-wing demonstration is allowed to take place.
Tensions increased on Saturday after Israel soldiers shot dead three Palestinian youths in the Gaza Strip.
The Jerusalem holy site is linked to the Palestinian uprising which escalated after Ariel Sharon, the then opposition leader, visited the area in September 2000.
After Mr Sharon's visit, the Waqf - the Muslim authority which oversees the site - declared the compound out of bounds to non-Muslims, but Israel re-opened it to Jews and tourists this summer.
"Under no circumstances will we allow provocations," Israeli Public Security Minister Gideon Ezra said, adding that police would prevent the protesters from accessing the site.
He went on to say he feared the protest was aimed at sparking riots with the Palestinians in order to prevent the evacuation of Gaza from taking place.
In view of the demonstration, Israeli police announced they would restrict access to Muslims aged over 40.
Retaliation
But thousands of Hamas supporters have already threatened retaliation if the rally goes ahead.
"If the Zionists defile al-Aqsa mosque, they will be planting the seeds of the third uprising," said a senior Hamas leader, Nizar Rayyan, speaking from Gaza.
Meanwhile, a leader of Revava, the Jewish group organising the protest, said he thought at least 1,000 people would manage to access the site despite police blockades.
"We have thousands of people coming to Jerusalem from all over the country on organised buses," David Haivri said, adding they only wanted to assert their right to pray on the hill.
'Warning shots'
Witnesses say the three youths killed in southern Gaza on Saturday were shot trying to retrieve a football in a no-go area near the Egypt border; the Israeli army says it is investigating the report.
It is the most serious such incident since Israeli and Palestinian leaders declared a ceasefire in February.
The Palestinian Authority called the killings a "serious violation" of the truce.
The BBC's Alan Johnston in Gaza says the youths had approached a zone along Gaza's border with Egypt, which is occupied and heavily defended by Israeli troops.
Following the shootings, Palestinian militants from Islamic Jihad fired at least 14 mortars at Jewish settlements in Gaza.
It is the first time militants have fired rockets at Jewish targets since February when Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas ordered security forces to prevent such attacks.
An Islamic Jihad leader, Mohammed Hindi, told a news conference the truce with Israel remained intact, but called for Palestinians factions to "re-evaluate the situation".
Could someone please explain to me how those yahoos got put in charge of the Temple Mount, which was sacred to Jews and Christians for centuries before Mohammed came along?
"Islam's third holiest site"
How many holy site does this religion have? I ain't seen nothing holy about this human sacrifice cult.
How come the Jews who want to pray on the mount are "extremists", and the Moslems who blow up schools are
"militants"??
Mark
...and Israel caves in and suppresses its citizenry in support of the Islamofascists once again. Whatever happened to Sharon being a hard-liner?
didn't know that, thanks.
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