Hamas Considers Ramp Closure as 'War on Jerusalem Muslim Holy Sites'
Israel's closure of a wooden access ramp to the al-Aqsa mosque compound is tantamount to a declaration of war on Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, Hamas warned on Monday.
"This is a serious step that shows the Zionist scheme of aggression again the al-Aqsa mosque," Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum told Agence France Presse.
"This is a violent act that amounts to a declaration of religious war on the Muslim holy places in Jerusalem," he said, calling for "Arab and Muslim mobilization to stop this serious event."
Israel on Sunday night closed the Mughrabi ramp leading to the mosque compound in the Old City over public safety concerns in a move which was immediately condemned by Palestinians officials and Jordan, which is the custodian of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem.
Jerusalem city council says the ramp poses a fire hazard and could collapse onto the women's prayer section by the Western Wall.
But Muslim leaders fear its demolition could destabilize the mosque compound and accuse Israel of failing to coordinate its renovation with Waqf, which oversees Islamic heritage sites.
The closure prompted a swift response from Palestinian presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina who warned it was another Israeli "attack" on efforts to revive the moribund peace talks which could shake up the region.
"These practices create a negative atmosphere in the entire region that could plunge the area into turmoil and tension," he warned.
And Jordan's powerful Islamists denounced the decision as "flagrant aggression."
"This is a very dangerous move," the head of Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood, Hammam Said, told AFP.
"The only solution against this entity (Israel) is resistance in order to protect the sanctity of the holy places against such flagrant aggression," he said.
There are 15 gates leading into the al-Aqsa mosque compound, 10 of which are in use.
The Mughrabi Gate is the only access for non-Muslims to enter the site, meaning its closure will prevent both Jews and tourists from visiting until a replacement structure is built.
The ramp leads from the plaza by the Western Wall, the most sacred site at which Jews can pray, up to the adjoining compound, known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif, which houses the al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam.
The plaza which houses the mosque complex is venerated by Jews as the Temple Mount, the site where King Herod's temple once stood before it was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. It is the holiest site in Judaism, but Jews are forbidden to worship there.
Source: Agence France Presse
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