with epa photos 00000400923924 and 00000400923923


dpa German Press Agency
Published: Tuesday February 6, 2007

Jerusalem- Dozens of Palestinian youths protested in East
Jerusalem as Israeli authorities Tuesday began renovation work
outside the Old City's disputed Temple Mount/Harem al-Sharif
compound.
Israel aims to build a new walkway from the Wailing Wall Plaza
at the foot of the Temple Mount to the elevated compound housing the
al-Aqsa mosque, a spokeswoman for the Israel Antiquities Authority
told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

The walkway is to replace a previous one which collapsed in 2004
due to rain, snow and a minor earthquake. Since then, a temporary
wooden bridge had been in place.

Israel has in the past months conducted archeological excavations
to ensure no valuable ancient artefacts would be lost under the
building site.

On Tuesday morning, a mini-bulldozer began clearing the remnants
of the orginal walkway, after which pillars for the new one would be
put in place, the spokeswoman said.

Hundreds of Israeli policemen and women patrolled the area and the
nearby alleys of the Old City, as Palestinian leaders called on
Muslims to flock to the area to protest the move, which they claim is
an attempt to "destroy" the al-Aqsa mosque.

To prevent riots the police limited entry to the compound to
Muslim men with Israeli citizenship aged 45 and over. Tourists and
Jews were not allowed entry, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

At least 11 rioters were taken in for questioning after throwing
stones at the police, as several worshippers also skirmished with
police outside the gates leading to the compound.

Adnan al-Hussini, the director of the Waqf, the Islamic religious
trust administering the compound, said he appealed to the United
Nations to force Israel to stop its activities around the mosque.

Meanwhile, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad (Holy War)
movement claimed responsibility for launching two Gaza-made rockets
at the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon.

The attack was in response to the "Israeli aggression against the
al-Aqsa mosque," the group said in a statement.

The Temple Mount/Harem al-Sharif is holy to Moslems who believe it
marks the site where their Prophet Mohammed ascended to heaven, but
it is also revered by Jews as the site of their destroyed biblical
temple.

© 2006 - dpa German Press Agency