Jewish extremists have rampaged through the mosque under the watchful eyes of Israeli police

By Mohammed Yassin, IOL Gaza Correspondent

GAZA, February 24 (IslamOnline.net) – In an attempt to confront Israeli plans threatening Al-Aqsa mosque, the Palestinian Ministry of Waqfs (endowment) released some one million copies of an electronic guide about the Islamic monuments in the holy sanctuary, a step the Palestinians hope would keep the true identity of the city alive.

The pdf file has 140 large-size colorful pages giving a detailed analysis of the history of Al-Aqsa mosque. Its walls, gates, minarets, domes and niches are depicted in more than 250 attached photos.

"The guide has been sent via e-mails or on CDs to national and Islamic institutions in Arab and Muslim countries," said Nedal Eissa, the ministry's public affairs chief.

The ministry said in a statement carried by IslamOnline.net that the measures was taken in light of Israel's continued attacks on Islamic holy sites in occupied Jerusalem.

Palestinians complained on Sunday, February 15, that a part of the road leading to one of Al-Aqsa Mosque’s main gates has collapsed due to the ongoing Israeli excavations under the holy place.

So, this "noble guide comes within a campaign launched by the Ministry of Waqfs and coincides with the Israeli threats to the mosque," said Youssef Salama, one of the architects of the project.

Salama, the acting minister of waqfs and the imam of Al-Aqsa mosque, said that the aim to help Muslims "be acquainted with the history of the mosque, so they could liberate it".

"This is a fresh certain testimony that Jerusalem is of an Islamic and Arab identity. Muslims and Arabs, with a doctrinal not seasonal relation to the holy city, would defend it with all of their potential," he said in the preface of the unique file.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the Muslims’ first Qiblah [direction Muslims take during prayers] and its the third holiest shrine after Al Ka'bah in Makkah and Prophet Muhammad's Mosque in Madinah, Saudi Arabia.

Its significance has been reinforced by the incident of Al Isra'a and Al Mi'raj -- the night journey from Makkah to Al-Quds and the ascent to the Heavens by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Israeli Plans

Palestinians accuse Israel of planning to demolish Al-Aqsa mosque to build the so-called Skeleton of Solomon in place. The allegations blocked Palestinians' efforts to restore the mosque.

On Sunday, February 15, a collapse occurred at dawn in the road leading to Al-Maghariba gate, one of the mosque’s fourteen gates.

Palestinians heaped blame on Israeli authorities which have prevented the Palestinian Waqfs Department and the Society of the Reconstruction of Islamic Shrines from carrying out restoration works in the site for more than three years.

Palestine’s Chief Judge Tayssir Al-Tamimi described the incident as part of the "massacre against civilization that has been taking place since 1967".

He urged the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), the Arab League and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to join hands in halting the Israeli schemes.

In the aftermath of the 1967 war between Israel and Arabs, Israeli authorities reduced to rubble historical sites and corners near Al-Maghariba gate and erased Al-Maghariba alley from Al-Quds map, building on its ruins the so-called Jews alley.

Al-Aqsa Institution for Reconstruction of Islamic Sanctities has unveiled on January 2, 2004, an Israeli plan to dig a new tunnel under the holy mosque to provide protection to Jews, impose Israeli sovereignty on the holy mosque and judaize the Islamic quarters in the old city.

Jewish extremists have rampaged through Al-Aqsa Mosque on Monday, February 9, under the watchful eyes of Israeli police, destroying and stealing priceless relics.

Catching their vulgarism on camera, the crowd crushed picturesque marble columns and unfixed some crowns that date back to the early centuries of Islam, the Society of the Reconstruction of Islamic Shrines said in a report.

Palestinians had earlier cautioned that Jewish extremists were planning to dynamite the mosque in response to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s plans to evacuate the main Gush Katif settlements in the Gaza Strip.

The plans are aimed at dismantling the heavily guarded settlements, which are inhabited by some 7,500 Jews living among over 1.2 million Palestinians.

In August 2003, three right-wing Israeli MPs tried to use their parliamentary privilege to enter the compound but police prevented them.

Al-Aqsa Intifada against Israeli occupation broke out on September 28, 2000, in the wake of a provocative visit to the mosque by the then opposition leader Ariel Sharon.