Israeli police close Al-Aqsa to settlers: Palestinian official

AL-QUDS 

Israeli police closed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound to Jewish settlers on Thursday, one day after clashes in the area between Israeli police and Palestinians, a Palestinian official said.

"Israeli police told us that the Al-Asqa Mosque compound will remain closed to Israeli settlers," Sheikh Azzam al-Khatib, director-general of the Organization for Muslim Endowments and Al-Aqsa Affairs (run by the Jordanian government), told Anadolu Agency.

He described as "calm" the situation inside the mosque compound.

"The mosque is open to Muslim worshippers and no restrictions were reported," al-Khatib said.

Clashes broke out at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Wednesday after Israeli security personnel stormed the holy site in an apparent bid to disperse Palestinians who have been camped out inside the compound for days.

The sit-in came in response to calls by Palestinian groups and figures to defend Al-Aqsa from threats by extremist Jewish groups, which have called on supporters to force their way into the holy compound during the current Jewish Passover holiday (April 14 to 22).

In recent months, groups of extremist Jewish settlers, often accompanied by Israeli security forces, have repeatedly forced their way into the Al-Aqsa complex. The frequent violations anger Palestinian Muslims and occasionally lead to violent confrontations.

For Muslims, Al-Aqsa represents the world's third holiest site. Jews refer to the area as the "Temple Mount," claiming it was the site of two prominent Jewish temples in ancient times.

Israel occupied Al-Quds during the 1967 Middle East War. It later annexed the holy city in 1980, claiming it as the capital of the self-proclaimed Jewish state.

By Abdel-Raouf Arnaout

englishnews@aa.com.tr