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13 Nov, 2014

Israel installing Electronic Gates at Entrances to Al-Aqsa Mosque

JERUSALEM, November 12, 2014 – (WAFA) – The council of Islamic Waqf and the Supreme Muslim Council (SMC) warned Wednesday against Israel’s plans to install electronic gates at the entrances leading to Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound in Jerusalem.

The councils warned against a plan devised by the Israeli Internal Security Ministry to install e-gates at the mosque’s entrances, a step, they said, that is tantamount to imposing full Israeli control over the complex.

Israeli media reportedly revealed that Israeli Internal Security crews are implementing in secret a plan to install checkpoints at all the gates leading to the mosque. The plan reportedly involves the installation of some metal detectors at walk-through electronic gates, in addition to the deployment of further police reinforcements.

Israeli sources reportedly said that the sum of NIS 4 million (about $1 million) was allocated for the plan which is being implemented clandestinely by the Ministry crews in order not to cause a major upheaval.

Israeli media reported that the plan is disguised with misleading statements, such as, ‘the smooth access into the Temple Mount ‘, stating that that there is no problem to have visitors wait for long hours in lines to enter the mosque.

Both Councils slammed this plan as a ‘gross violation of the sanctity of the mosque, a restriction of the freedom of worship and a gross interference in the powers and prerogatives of the Islamic Waqf, which represents the entire Muslim world.