Grand mufti concerned at Israeli excavations in al-aqsa

Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Mohammad Hussein, Wednesday expressed concern for the continuous Israeli excavations under Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem, and called for immediate action to stop the Israeli construction that poses a threat to the mosque. In a press release following news on the construction of a 600-metre tunnel from Ein Silwan area to the southwestern corner of Al-Aqsa compound, hitting the stone foundations of Al-Aqsa Mosque, Hussein held the Israeli authorities responsible for any consequences of the excavations, which threaten to bring down the mosque. He indicated that this tunnel is not the first Israeli excavation targeting Al-Aqsa compound underground, but was preceded by many others that had led to a collapse in the ground of a street in Silwan, a school building and other constructions in East Jerusalem, according to the press release quoted by Palestine''s news agency " Wafa. Hussein accused Israeli authorities of escalating the situation and creating instability in the area in order to create chaos, pressure Palestinians and impose the Israeli de facto policy on Arabs living in Jerusalem. Furthermore, he warned from a programmed Israeli policy against Palestinians and their holy sites, especially the city of Jerusalem, which is currently at the greatest risk. Hussein called on the Palestinians to monitor Israeli authorities’ attempts to de-characterize Jerusalem of its Arabic and Islamic features, saying that Israel aims to empty the city of its Palestinian citizens and terminate the Arab and Islamic presence. He called on international and local organizations to work to stop the Israeli excavations before it is too late.