TEHRAN (Tasnim) � Iran's Foreign Ministry roundly condemned the Israeli regime for "desecrating the Al-Aqsa Mosque" and cracking down on the Palestinian people in the occupied territories.
In a message issued late on Friday, Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham slammed Tel Aviv for preventing Palestinian worshippers from entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque and supporting Israeli settlers� assaults on Muslim worshippers.
She also cautioned against the dangerous consequences of the Israeli measures and called on the Islamic countries and regional communities not to keep silent on the crimes committed by the Israeli regime and to defend the Al-Aqsa mosque.

Israel reopened Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound for the Muslim Friday prayers, but restricted entry for Muslim men under the age of 50, following a rare closure due to clashes sparked by the killing of a Palestinian by police.

Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian man in East al-Quds. The 32-year-old man was suspected of attempting to kill a hard-line rabbi. The forces shot dead Moataz Hejazi after storming his house in the Abu Tor neighborhood of East al-Quds.

Meanwhile, clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian protesters broke out in al-Quds and the occupied al-Quds. Israeli soldiers fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the protesters.

The Al-Aqsa Mosque, a holy site at the heart of the clashes, was also shut down for almost an entire day to all visitors.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas denounced Israel's actions as "tantamount to a declaration of war" and his Fatah party called for a "day of rage" on Friday.

Al-Quds has been witnessing months of violence with al-Aqsa mosque compound standing as a rallying point for Palestinian resistance to the Israeli attempts to take control of the holy site.

By Tasnim News Agency

 

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