OCCUPIED JERUSALEM - Alandslide at part of Al-Aqsa Mosque esplanade has sounded the alarmover the ongoing Israeli excavations near Islam's third holiest shrine.
Worshipperswitnessed a crater at the esplanade as they were en route to the Fridayprayer, Al-Aqsa Online reported Saturday, February 16.
The crater is two meters in length and 1.5 meters in width.
"Iwas cleaning the mosque's esplanade for the Friday prayers," saidAshraf Al-Sharyati, the driver of the mosque's cleaning vehicle.
"Suddenly,some bricks fell down at 10:00 a.m., creating a crater. We covered thebig hole with wooden plans for worshippers' safety."
The landslide occurred near Al-Selsela (Chain) Gate and Qatibai Water Fountain at the mosque's western side.
Al-AqsaMosque is the Muslims’ first Qiblah direction Muslims take duringprayers and it is the third holiest shrine after Al Ka`bah in Makkahand Prophet Muhammad's Mosque in Madinah, Saudi Arabia.
Itssignificance has been reinforced by the incident of Al Isra'a and AlMi'raj — the night journey from Makkah to Al-Quds and the ascent to theHeavens by Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings be Upon Him).
Theholy place represents the heart of the Arab-Israeli conflict as Jewsclaim that their alleged Haykal (Temple of Solomon) exists underneathAl-Haram Al-Sharif.
- Israeli Diggings
Palestinians blamed the Israeli diggings adjacent to Al-Aqsa for the earth moving.
"Thediggings and tunnels Israel is building beneath and around Al-AqsaMosque are the cause of the new landslide," said Al-Aqsa Foundation forReconstruction of Islamic Sanctities in an online statement.
"The Jewish tunnelswork have reached Al-Selsela Gate."
TheIslamic Movement in Israel also blamed the Israeli diggings for thelandslide, calling on Muslim countries to step in to stop Israeliexcavations near the holy mosque.
Themovement's leader Sheikh Raed Salah has warned that Israel plans tobuild a colossal synagogue at the heart of Al-Haram Al-Sharif andcontiguous to the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Israelibulldozers started last February demolishing the wooden bridge leadingto Al-Aqsa Mosque's Al-Maghariba Gate and two underground rooms,sparking widespread protests in the Palestinian lands and Muslimcountries.
Archeologistswarn that leveling the mound upon which the wooden bridge is builtwould threaten the foundation of Al-Aqsa Mosque and open the way formore Israeli excavations.
Apart of the road leading to one of the mosque's main gates collapsed inFebruary of 2004 due to the destructive Israeli digging work.
