OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, May 9, 2005 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Thousands of Palestinians gathered in and outside Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied Al-Quds (East Jerusalem) after extremist Jews threatened to storm Islam’s third holiest site on Monday, May 9.

Defying stringent Israeli security measures, the Palestinians vowed to defend the mosque against the blatant threats by the far-right Jewish group Revava.

Israeli police clashed with hundreds of Palestinian demonstrators, wounding several of them, after the occupation authorities limited access to the mosque compound, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Palestinian medics put at 11 the number of demonstrators injured by Israeli forces.

Israeli troops did not allow hundreds of Palestinians into the mosque’s esplanade, limiting the entrance only to those 45 years of age and older, Aljazeera news channel reported.

Israeli police spokesman Shmulik Ben Ruby claimed Palestinian demonstrators hurled stones at policemen, forcing them to use stun grenades.

On Sunday, May 9, Hamas and Al-Aqsa Association for the Construction of Islamic Holy Places called for a massive rally to the mosque, arranging transportation for demonstrators from across the occupied Palestinian territories.

In Lebanon, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) organized a massive march Sunday, attended by Lebanon's Fatah leader Sultan Abul-Aynayn, at the Rashidieh Palestinian refugee camp in Tyre.

Demonstrators chanted slogans condemning Israeli violations of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Last month, thousands of Palestinians made their way into the mosque’s esplanade to defend it against similar threats by the extremist Jewish group.

Undermining Peace

The Palestinian cabinet warned on Sunday that the new Jewish threats to desecrate the mosque would deal a blow to the peace process.

It called upon the international quartet committee to press Israel into respecting Muslim holy sites, warning that the world’s “sepulchral silence” would lead to serious consequences.

“Attacking Al-Aqsa will create a powder keg in the region,” the government warned in a statement carried by the Palestinian news agency Wafa.

Palestinian experts warned last month that threats by Jewish extremist groups to storm the mosque had a more serious religious undertone as they believe that 2005 was the year for the construction of the so-called third temple.

Chief among these groups are the Temple Mount Faithful, Gush Emunim, Kach, Kahana Chai and Betar.

Al-Haram Al-Sharif, which includes Al-Aqsa Mosque, represents the heart of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict because of its religious significance for Muslims.

Jews claim that their alleged Haykal (Temple of Solomon) exists underneath Al-Haram Al-Sharif which was the first qiblah (direction Muslims take during prayers).

Palestinian and Jordanian archeologists have warned that ongoing Israeli excavations have weakened the foundations of the mosque, cautioning it would not stand a powerful earthquake.

A part of the road leading to one of the mosque’s main gates collapsed in February last year due to the destructive Israeli digging work.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is Islam's third holiest shrine after Ka`bah in Makkah and Prophet Muhammad’s Mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia.