Israeli Minister Makes "Provocative" Visit To Al-Aqsa

Hanegbi’s tour of the site under heavy guard is reminiscent of a similar visit to the holy site in September 2000 by then Israeli opposition leader and current prime minister Ariel Sharon, which triggered the second Intifada against occupation.

Sabri said the Israeli desecration came as "a surprise" to him, adding that Hanegbi toured the mosque’s plaza for around one hour, asserting the mosque guards strongly refused to open the mosque’s internal entrances.

"We hold this minister culpable for provoking the sentiments of Muslims and desecrating Al-Aqsa mosque," stressed the prominent Muslim scholar.

On the timing of the visit with the advent of Ramadan, Sheikh Sabri said it came to cast a pall over the Muslim celebrations of the holy month.

Asked why Hanegbi did not make his visit public beforehand, he said the Israeli minister feared a repetition of what had happened to Sharon.

Sabri urged the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to live up to its responsibilities towards Al-Aqsa mosque.

"We tell the Muslim leaders who gathered at the OIC summit in Malaysia that you must translate your words into deeds and not into condemnations and resolutions," he stressed.

‘One-Way Strategy’

For his part, Hamas activist Adnan Asfour said it seemed as if "the Zionist government has adopted a one-way strategy with the Palestinian cause."

"It has already kicked off the project of Greater Israel, leaning on military superiority," he asserted.

The Hamas leader refused to label Hanegbi’s visit as "naïve", underlining it "reflects the Israeli intransigence, which ignited the Intifada."

"The visit can be portrayed as a way to escape from the current limbo of the Zionist government, which pledged to bring security to the Israelis within 100 days of assuming office and failed," Asfour said.

"Sharon is pursuing his genocide against Palestinians being supported by the U.S. occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan," he added.

Asfour also expected that the Palestinians would augment their resistance against the Israeli occupation during Ramadan and defend Al-Aqsa mosque all along.

"Palestinians will prove to the Zionist entity that they are willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice to defend Al-Aqsa and liberate it from the desecration of the occupation," vowed the Hamas activist.

Hanegbi’s visit was also condemned by Palestinian Authority minister Saeb Erekat, who said it was designed to "provoke an escalation of violence and extremism in the region".

Hanegbi, a member of Sharon’s Likud party, earlier this summer authorized the reopening of the compound to non-Muslims who had been largely prevented from visiting since the start of the Intifada.

Palestinian legal sources revealed earlier in the month that Israeli authorities had forced scores of Palestinian youths living in occupied Jerusalem to sign written pledge not to pray inside Al-Aqsa mosque until the end of Ramadan.