RAMALLAH, 30 May 2007 — The Israeli High Court of Justice has upheld a decision by Public Security Minister Avi Dichter to ban Muslim burials southeast of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

The area is one of the most sensitive in Jerusalem’s Old City and borders the eastern wall of the mosque running parallel to it.

Under pressure from prominent Israeli personalities, Dichter became convinced that the burial area at the southeast foot of the compound, outside the walls, had stretched into an area defined as a national park, which is of archaeological significance and which has apparently not previously been used for burial.

Member of the Higher Islamic Committee in Jerusalem Eng. Adnan Al-Husseini told Arab News: “The area is part of Bab Al-Rahmeh cemetery which goes back to 1,400 years ... The Israelis pretend that the area is part of their national park, which was constructed following the occupation of the city in 1967, so how can they construct a park on an area of great archaeological significance? It is only an Israeli move to confiscate part of the cemetery,” he said.

“It is a move by Dichter, supported by extremist settlers of the Ras Al-Amoud neighborhood in East Jerusalem, to steal our history in the holy city,” Al-Husseini said.

Al-Husseini also said that the Islamic Awqaf in Jerusalem have documents that prove the area is Muslim property.

A petition was filed in court by the Israeli Committee for the Prevention of the Destruction of Antiquities on the Temple Mount when it was discovered that Muslims were using the site as a burial ground.

Israeli Police have been blocking Muslims from burying their dead at the site for several months, having identified dozens of plots sold by elders of the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan to Muslim families for their departed loved ones.

At least 21 of the graves are occupied, 39 are empty and 35 other plots have not yet been opened.