Islamic Awqaf bans tourists from entering Aqsa mosque
The Islamic Awqaf (authority) department decided on Wednesday to ban foreign and Israeli tourists from entering Al Aqsa mosque and surrounding compound for three days starting from today.
The Awqaf department said that the measures were carried out to protest presence of Israeli border guards inside the fenced compound of the holy mosque.
The presence of the Israeli police around Al Aqsa mosque gates and inside its squares, is expected to lead to troubles, as these soldiers are known of their provocative activities against Palestinian people in Jerusalem and Palestinian occupied territories, the statement said.
Israeli forces deployed hundreds of their border soldiers inside Al-Aqsa mosque following clashes between the Israeli police and the guards of the mosque on Tuesday.
The clash took place after the Israeli army force started to pursue two Palestinian citizens inside the holy mosque where the Israel police beat them and cursed Islam and the prophet Mohammed.
