We strongly disagree with the Saudi authorities.  Al Aqsa is the third holiest site for all Muslims; and we must show our presence and attachment to the mosque by visiting it. By visiting Al Aqsa and Jerusalem as Muslims we do not acknowledge the illegal occupation by Israel; however we show our attachment to Al Aqsa and show the importance of it to Muslims. Al Aqsa is one of the three mosques which we can have the intention to visit it.

By choosing not to visit Al-Aqsa and Jerusalem, we are only helping the Zionist to keep the Muslims away for the holy mosque.  Zionists are already spreading propaganda that the Muslims have no roots in Jerusalem or Al-Aqsa; we should not let this happen! It is our right as Muslims to visit Al-Aqsa no matter who is occupying the land. Only by being attached to Al-Aqsa will our children also be attached to it and the whole Muslim Ummah!!

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Saudi authorities: We will punish Al Areefi if he travels to Jerusalem
Thursday, 08 April 2010

"Traveling to countries on which a travel ban is imposed without obtaining a special permission from the authorities leads to penalization."

The official spokesman of Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Passports, Major Badr El Malik, said that any Saudi who travels to a country on which the Saudi government imposes a travel ban will be charged and penalised accordingly.

Commenting on the announcement made by Saudi preacher Dr. Mohamed Al Areefi that he intended to visit Jerusalem to shoot an episode of his show, El Malik said, "We won’t hold him accountable for statements he makes on TV since these could be sheer propaganda… But if the Ministry of Interior verifies that a Saudi citizen actually went to one of the countries on which the government imposes a travel ban, he will be penalized no matter who he is."

In statements that El Malik made to the Saudi newspaper Al-Watan – which it published Wednesday, April 7, he said that "traveling to countries on which a travel ban is imposed without obtaining a special permission from the authorities leads to penalization."

Sheikh Mohamed Al Areefi had announced, through Iqra satellite channel, his intention to travel to Jerusalem next week in order to shoot an episode of his show "Leave Your Fingerprint", although the Saudi authorities ban traveling to Israel.

On his part, the former member of the Interior Ministry’s Advisory Committee, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Yaeesh, said in comments published in the same newspaper that Muslims around the world are eager to visit Al Aqsa Mosque but they don’t go there in protest of Israel’s control of it, as visiting Jerusalem is considered to be a form of recognizing Israel.

Bin Yaeesh explained that warding off evil takes priority over bringing benefits, and that visiting Israel involves great evils, including breaking Muslim unity and accusing Saudi Arabia of standing behind the preacher’s visit to Israel.

Israeli police restrict access to mosque
June 11, 2010

(CNN) -- Israeli police are restricting Friday prayers at Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem following intelligence reports about possible riots in the city, Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said. Men age 40 and under will not be allowed to pray at the mosque Friday, he said.

When Israeli officials have concerns about possible violence, it is not uncommon for them to limit the access young men have to the mosque.

Hatem Abdel Qader, a Fatah official in Jerusalem, told CNN that such restrictions have become common in recent years.

"This is an excuse that Israel uses for security reasons to prevent the largest number of citizens from reaching the old city and the Aqsa mosque," he said.

Israeli officials have said public safety concerns prompt the restrictions, but Qader said the motivation is religious.

The mosque, which is located on the Temple Mount in East Jerusalem, has been a site of clashes between Israelis and Palestinians.

In 1996, dozens of people were killed in rioting related to the mosque.

CNN's Kareem Khadder contributed to this report.

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Zionist religious leaders’ attack on Aqsa mosque
2010/06/13

According to Palestinian news sources Zionist religious leaders attacked Al-aqsa mosque

Ahlul Bayt News Agency (ABNA.ir), Through Palestinian reliable sources a group of Zionist religious leaders with coalition of Israeli soldiers has raided Al-aqsa mosque.
These Zionist religious leaders invaded Aqsa mosque by jumping walls.

Dr .Talib Abu Sher has severely condemned this step of Zionist religious leaders.
He said that this attack is evidence of being devoid of moral values. He demanded from Muslim scholars that they should not remain indifferent on this blasphemous act but should take solid measures against Israel. The head of Quds committee has demanded from Muslims that they should take start action against Israel.

Israel excavates near Jerusalem's Old City
By MOHAMMED MAR'I | ARAB NEWS

Published: May 25, 2010 23:45 Updated: May 25, 2010 23:45

RAMALLAH: Israeli occupation authorities began excavation works near Al-Aqsa Mosque on Tuesday, according to Al-Aqsa Foundation for Endowment and Heritage.

The foundation said in a press statement that the "new excavations are concentrated in the site of Birkat Al-Sultan (Al-Sultan's Pool,” adjacent to the western wall of the Jerusalem's Old City). The pool was a source of water supply to Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Old City, the foundation said.

It added that the "Israeli authorities sized control of the Islamic and historic site since the 1948 war and destroyed parts of it." According to the foundation, the Israeli authorities turned parts of the site into a national park.

The foundation warned of the risks and consequences of these excavations and tunnels on the foundations of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

It added that the new excavations are part of Israeli efforts "to find any proof of the alleged Second Temple under Al-Aqsa Mosque and to Judaize Jerusalem." and."

The foundation said that the Israeli authorities "failed since it started its excavations to prove Jewish presence in the holy city or that the Temple ever existed." The foundation stressed that the "new excavations in the Old City are provocations for Muslims." It urged Arab and Islamic states to take action to stop it.

Endowments minister: Muslims should visit Jerusalem
Author: Ahmed el-Beheri

Palestinian Endowments Minister Mahmoud al-Habash has renewed the Palestinian Authority's invitation for Egyptian Endowments Minister Mahmoud Hamdi Zaqzouq to visit Jerusalem.

Zaqzouq welcomed the invitation, saying that he has called for Muslims to visit Jerusalem and pray at Al-Aqsa mosque more than 13 years ago. Such visits uphold the Islamic claim to Jerusalem and do not represent a form of normalization of relations with Israel, the endownments minister said.

Visiting Jerusalem highlights the city's Islamic status and its belonging to more than 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide--not only Arabs--Zaqzouq said. He added that slogans and speeches alone are not enough and more must be done to prevent Israel from implementing its plans to 'Judaize' Jerusalem.

Zaqzouq went on to say that visits to Jerusalem should help expose Israel to international public opinion, because if Israel denies access to visiting Muslims the entire world will see how stubborn and opposed to the freedom of worship Israel is. In addition such visits help increase the sales of Muslim traders in Jerusalem, according to Zaqzouq.

Meanwhile, el-Habash said that all Palestinian leaders would like to see Muslims coming to Jerusalem: "The residents of Jerusalem would like to see their fellow Muslims from all over the world standing by them. That will boost their morale in the face of the oppression they are facing."

The two ministers agreed that Jerusalem should be evoked in religious discourse in the Islamic world. They also called for reviving the old charitable waqf tradition, where proceeds were dedicated to Islamic holy places in Jerusalem.

Zaqzouq also expressed readiness to facilitate the enrollment of Palestinian preachers in training courses organized by Al-Azhar, and agreed to dispatch preachers and Quran reciters to Ramallah during Ramadan and to examine the possibility of dispatching preachers to Palestine all year round.

News @ AsiaOne

Rabbis visit Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound

Move likely to infuriate Palestinians. -AFP

Mon, May 10, 2010
AFP

JERUSALEM - Ultra-nationalist rabbis on Monday visited Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound, which is holy to both Muslims and Jews, in a move likely to infuriate Palestinians, police said.

Police authorised the visit and escorted the rabbis, a spokesman said. The 43 rabbis, most of them West Bank settlers, were also accompanied by two far right-wing MPs, the YNet News website reported.

The controversial visit was staged ahead of Jerusalem Day on Wednesday, when Israel celebrates its capture of Arab east Jerusalem in the 1967 Six Day War.

The vast compound, which dominates the Jewish Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall, is the third most sacred for Muslims.

The site of the Second Temple destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD, it is the most sacred for Jews.

'The rabbis' visit is meant to remind us of the essence of Jerusalem Day - it is not the Western Wall that is our souls' desire, but what lies beyond it the Temple Mount, the site of our Temple,' YNet quoted MP Uri Ariel as saying.

Jews are forbidden from praying at the site and, because of their own religious restrictions, many choose not to visit the site. Those who do are viewed with suspicion by Muslims and risk being pelted with stones.

Muslims are intensely sensitive to any perceived threat to the status of the compound and many believe Jews are determined to build a new temple on the wide esplanade.

Jewish fringe groups have vowed to build a third Temple, but Israeli political and religious authorities have repeatedly dismissed the idea.

Erdoğan: Islamic World To Defy Every Threat Against Jerusalem
[ 11 May 2010 07:32 ]

Baku – APA. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that those who tried to destroy Jerusalem would never be able to destroy the brotherhood and solidarity there, and Islamic world and Muslims would defy all attacks, threats and dark scenarios against Jerusalem, APA reports quoting turkishny.com web-page.

Erdogan recalled that OIC was founded after an inhumane attack on Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem in 1969. Noting that the minbar in Masjid al-Aqsa was destroyed in the attack, Erdogan said that it was replaced in 2007 after Turkish craftsmen rebuilt it. He added that those, who attempted to destroy Jerusalem, would only destroy the Middle East; they were not able to destroy the brotherhood and solidarity there. 

Erdogan said that Jerusalem was common heritage of all humanity and holy place of over two billion Muslims. He added that Jerusalem was a holy place for Christians and Jewish people too.

He noted that Islamophobia was dangerous for world peace as much as antisemitism and racism were.

He said that Turkey had always supported efforts for Middle East peace process as well as initiatives to find permanent solution to Israel-Palestinian issue.

Erdogan said that they wanted to end not only the threats against Jerusalem but also the inhumane condition in Gaza. He added that Turkish non-governmental organizations were still in difficulty to reach Gaza.

He said that while the tragedy was continuing in Gaza, it would be too optimistic to think that peace process would be concluded positively in Middle East.

Erdogan said that Palestinian state should rapidly be established within 1967 borders, adding that all parties and actors should focus on a solution for this target.

Speaking at the second extraordinary meeting of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)-member states (PUOICM) in Istanbul, Erdogan hoped that the meeting would yield beneficial results for the world and Middle East peace.

Israel has prepared two crisis scenarios: The first is imposing a massive forced migration, i.e., ethnic cleansing, on Palestinians living in the West Bank, and the second is resuming construction on the Hurva (Ruins) Synagogue, with the ultimate purpose of destroying Masjid al-Aqsa.

As is known, Israel has long-standing ambitions to rebuild Solomon’s Temple. According to doctrine formulated in modern times, the Zionist mission will reach its ultimate goal with the construction of the temple. This mission - which has been translated into the practice of picking up Jews scattered around the world and bringing them to the Palestinian territories while forcing Palestinians to abandon their homeland just to free space for each arriving Jew - will not end until the temple is built. There is an ongoing gradual progress toward rebuilding Solomon’s Temple. Rebuilding the Hurva Synagogue is a major step towards the realization of this mission.
The reconstruction of the synagogue was approved in 2001. The purpose is to give the impression that Israel had existed for thousands of years in these lands as well as to give the Palestinian territories a dominant Hebrew character. The Israeli government issued a decree to transfer the construction to the Western Wall Heritage Foundation. This foundation is financed by the Israeli Prime Ministry and tends to Western Wall affairs. A fund of $12 million was allocated for the construction. This money comes from the Israeli government and the Jewish diaspora.

If the synagogue had been built just for the purpose of worship, no one would raise any objection to it. However, a closer look at the project details reveals that the synagogue is being used instrumentally. According to its design, the synagogue is 24 meters high and has 12 windows and a white dome, and it is located just 10 meters from the Western Wall. Palestinian Supreme Muslim Council President and Masjid al-Aqsa imam Sheikh Ekrima Sa’id Sabri says that this is a major preparation for the destruction of Masjid al-Aqsa. Although the apparent purpose of the construction of the synagogue is to create a Jewish historical and spatial identity in Jerusalem, it has ambitions going beyond it. If the synagogue is built according to this design, its outer appearance will be similar to that of Masjid al-Aqsa, which is the symbol of Jerusalem, and this will overshadow the silhouette of Masjid al-Aqsa. [...]

Being an ancient and holy settlement, Jerusalem cannot be reduced to a single character. Many people have lived in this city, and the historic places where Solomon reigned were all destroyed. The city accommodates visible places of worship and holy places that belong not only to Jews, but also to Christians. However, Islam has given to Jerusalem its dominant architectural and civic character. During the Muslim rule, from the time of the Caliph Umar to the Ottomans, Jerusalem became a holy city where the practitioners of all religions could freely express themselves and live together in peace under the overarching umbrella of Islam.

I have difficulty in understanding this: Why do the Jews who invaded the region starting in the mid-20th century not pay respect to the pluralistic sacredness of this city as was the case during Muslim and Ottoman rule? And why does the Western world feign blind and deaf while Christian and Islamic places of worship and structures are being destroyed?

Jews Storm Into Al-Aqsa Mosque 
April 04, 2010

Extremists Jews stormed into the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque on Sunday, under the protection of Israeli police.

Palestinian radio stations reported that the extremists used the Magharba Gateway, controlled by Israeli police, and entered into the mosque's courtyards, passageways and prayer areas.

It said that the extremists stormed in during a time when not many Palestinians were there to perform their prayers.

This morning, Israeli police were heavily deployed in Jerusalem's Old City, in a precautionary measure during the Christian Easter celebrations.
Source: KUNA

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Al-Aqsa Mosque is seriously liable to collapse
3rd Apr 2010
 
Tel Aviv (UNN) The Palestinian Judge of Jerusalem, Sheikh Mohammed Abu Senena, openly admonished here Saturday that Al-Aqsa Mosque is seriously liable to collapse due to Israeli tunnels being dug underneath the structure.

He said, "Al-Aqsa Mosque has become subject to collapse owing to tunnels. This has nothing to do whatsoever with media exaggeration." He accused Israel of seeking resolutely to destroy Al-Aqsa Mosque through its tunnels and digging works at the holy site.

"Al-Aqsa Mosque has been under ceaseless Israeli violations since 1967," Abu Senena lamented.

Israel is trying to wipe out the Islamic and Christian characteristics of the holy city of Jerusalem by demolishing Palestinian houses, desecrating religious sanctuaries and building new Jewish settlements.

JEWISH EXTREMIST GROUP PLANS TO BREAK INTO AL-AQSA MOSQUE THURSDAY

NAM NEWS NETWORK Apr 1st, 2010

GAZA, April 1 (NNN-KUNA) — An ultra Orthodox Judaism group calling itself the Temple Mount Guardians has called on its followers to break into Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Muslim’s third holiest shrine, on Thursday.

The call coincides with the Jewish celebrations marking the Passover on Tuesday and Easter on Sunday.

The Jewish extremists have recently escalated their aggressive plans to topple the Al Aqsa Mosque under the pretext of rebuilding Solomon’s Temple, also known as the First Temple.

In a statement, reportedly e-mailed to the Jewish extremists and carried by the Israel local media, the group said it would organise a march to the Noble Sanctuary (the Temple Mount) on Thursday to deliver “the message of the lord” for building the temple now, a Palestinian radio station reported Wednesday evening.

The march aims to apply pressure on the international community, particularly US President Barack Obama to give up their bid to divide the holy city into Jewish and Palestinian parts, the group said.

Earlier Wednesday, the Israeli police, intensively deployed around the mosque, allowed some Jewish extremists to enter the compound of the mosque, the radio station added.
– NNN-KUNA

Bus posters replace Al-Aqsa with temple

Rightist group posts ads on buses in Jerusalem calling to build third temple in place of mosque - Shmulik Grossman

Two hundred Egged buses were plastered with posters Sunday that call for the construction of the third temple "quickly and in our time". The posters carry a drawing of Temple Mount without the mosques situated there.

The posters were made by an extreme right-wing group called Eretz Israel Shelanu (Our Land of Israel), headed by Rabbi Shalom Dov Wolpo and Baruch Marzel.  

Despite the negative emotions the campaign has stirred up in the capital's non-Jewish sectors, Rabbi Wolpo told Ynet, "The people of Israel look forward on Passover to the construction of the temple and the coming if the messiah.

"The Arabs and US President Barack Obama know that the third temple will be established at Temple Mount and that the mosque is there temporarily."

It was the second time the drawing had appeared in public in integrated cities. Two weeks ago an unknown person distributed Passover haggadahs sporting a drawing of Temple Mount with the Dome of the Rock removed to kindergartens and other locations in Jaffa.

In place of the mosque was a model of the temple. The haggadahs sparked anger among the Arab residents of the city and Kamel Agbaria, chairman of the Ajami neighborhood council, said, "I hope someone will stop those who are inciting in time, so that the already tense situation won’t boil over."