Once again the sanctity of the Haram Al-Sharif compound in Jerusalem has been outraged. The presence of a group of “visitors” within the Al-Aqsa compound gave vent to the already pent up feelings and religious sentiments of Palestinians that sparked clashes. Scores of Palestinians were wounded by Israel soldiers and police who stormed the courtyard of Al-Aqsa Mosque from Al-Magharebah Gate. Unfortunately, the calm prevailing in the area for quite sometime was shattered after, what the police reports say, a group of “tourists” entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Initially the police said the group was made up of Jewish worshippers, but later said they were French tourists. The reports from the Palestinian side gave another account saying that there was a large group of “Jewish settlers who gathered outside Al-Aqsa and tried to break in. They were also dressed as tourists.” Hence the scuffle with police followed violent clashes because the so-called tourist group was confronted by more than 100 Muslim worshippers in the compound. The Al-Aqsa Mosque along with its surroundings is the third most sacred shrine for Muslims around the world after the Masjid Al-Haram in Makkah Al-Mukarramah and the Prophet's Mosque in Madina Al-Munawwara. It is but natural that even a slight disrespect shown to the holy sites by people belonging to other religions, particularly in the most critical flash point areas, is bound to spark anger at a much larger scale. But in such cases what is most unfortunate is the violent clashes that follow resulting into destruction, sometimes widespread and at mass scale, injuries and even deaths. However, as reports come in from the region, a huge contingent of Israeli police posted around the area has contained the volatile situation but, of course, not without injuries being inflicted to “stone-throwing” Palestinian youths by the stun grenades thrown by Israeli soldiers. Since Al-Aqsa Mosque is under the occupation of Israeli forces, it is the prime responsibility of Israeli authorities to secure the religious premises and make sure to check every person that enters the sacred site thoroughly. It is to be noted here again that the second intifada, Palestinian uprising, erupted there after former Israeli premier Ariel Sharon made a controversial visit to the holy site in September 2000, which formented a wave of violence that engulfed the occupied territories for several years, resulting into mass-level deaths and a devastation, the scars of which are hard to be erased. However, the latest outrageous act by those Jewish settlers and subsequent attack by the Israeli forces need to be strongly condemned because playing with religious sentiments should not be allowed at any cost. __
