[An Nahar] Israel's closure of a wooden access ramp to the al-Aqsa mosque compound is tantamount to a declaration of war on Moslem holy sites in Jerusalem, Hamas, always the voice of sweet reason, warned on Monday."This is a serious step that shows the Zionist scheme of aggression again the al-Aqsa mosque," Hamas front man Fawzi Barhum told Agence La Belle France Presse.
"This is a violent act that amounts to a declaration of religious war on the Moslem holy places in Jerusalem," he said, calling for "Arab and Moslem mobilization to stop this serious event."
Israel on Sunday night closed the Mughrabi ramp leading to the mosque compound in the Old City over public safety concerns in a move which was immediately condemned by Paleostinians officials and Jordan, which is the custodian of Moslem holy sites in Jerusalem.
Jerusalem city council says the ramp poses a fire hazard and could collapse onto the women's prayer section by the Western Wall.