Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Hayel Dawood, on Friday warned that provocative actions of the Israeli occupation authorities aimed at preventing Muslims from praying in the Al-Aqsa Mosque will have consequences.

Dawood told Petra in a phone call that the measures imposed by the Israeli forces to prevent Muslims from praying in the Mosque are considered a gross violation of the beliefs of 1.7 billion Muslims around the world. "The entire world must stand up against this as no country in the world can prevent worshippers from entering their places of worship, except Israel," he added.

Dawood called upon the international community and organizations to put an end to the such actions of the Israeli occupation authorities against the Al Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam, in order to ensure that violations like these do not recur. He also urged for lifting the restrictive measures imposed on the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The occupation forces had set-up several security checkpoints on the roads leading to the Mosque, turning the place into a virtual military barrack. A number of soldiers have been posted at all the gates of the Mosque, thus blocking worshippers from entering the Mosque.

Al-Aqsa mosque, which can accommodate more than 400,000 worshippers, received only 7,000 on Friday, the first day of the ten days of the final month of the Islamic calendar, Dhul-Hijjah: Days of virtue and righteous deeds for Muslims.

*Petra