Ramallah, 01 Muharam 1438/02 October 2016 (MINA) – Clashes between Palestinians and Israelis are expected to intensify with the onset of several Jewish festivals set to take place throughout October, gulfnews.com reported.
Ultra-orthodox Jewish groups have called on all Jews to raid Al Haram Al Sharif to mark Jewish ceremonial feasts.
Among the groups campaigning for this are the Temple Mount Heritage Foundation including Haliba, Women for the Temple Mount, Students for the Temple Mount, Returning to the Mount, and the Temple Mount Sifting Project.
In addition to planning the raids, the groups have organised educational seminars and workshops to prepare Jewish worshippers for the planned festivities.
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They are also offering tour guides to those who plan to attend the festival.
To reassure attendees over their safety, the groups say they have received “solid promises” from the occupied Jerusalem police to protect them during the raids.
The police will “clamp down with an iron fist” on Palestinians defending Al Haram Al Sharif from Jewish raids.
Palestinian defenders of the Al Aqsa Mosque known as Al Murabiteen have been completely deterred from entering Al Haram Al Sharif. The Murabiteen have been effective at discouraging Jewish raids on the holy Muslim site.
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They often gather to shout at the invaders. Palestinians of 1948 areas and residents of occupied Jerusalem have been on the front lines of defending the holy Muslim site.
But, Israel has taken draconian measures to curb their presence there including denying them medical insurance or even revoking their identity cards.
Under a status quo agreement, Jews are allowed to visit Al Haram Al Sharif, but not to perform religious rituals there.
There is an “ongoing conspiracy”
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Radical Jewish groups have been campaigning to encourage more illegal raids on Al Haram Al Sharif.
Attempts by the Israeli regime to change the status quo have led to escalation of violence and tensions which claimed the lives of over 200 Palestinians and 33 Israelis since last year.
Jewish groups illegally entering the premises have the full protection of Israeli occupation forces.
Al Haram Al Sharif, the third holiest site in Islam, was built on top of the ancient remnants of the Temple Mount, a site sacred in Judaism which destroyed in the 4th century by the Romans, during their rule.
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The Al Haram Al Sharif site houses both Al Aqsa Mosque, which was originally commissioned to be built under Omar, the second Caliph in Islam in the 7th century, and the Dome of the Rock which houses the rock from which Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) ascended to heaven, according to Islamic teachings.
Shaikh Najeh Bakeerat, who heads Al Aqsa Mosque, said that the Israeli government is creating new facts on the ground to replace the existing status quo agreement.
He said there was an “ongoing conspiracy” to erase Palestinian and Muslim identity from the holy city. (T/R07/R01)
Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)
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