Muslims the world over were taken unawares by the dangerous diggings that literally shook the very foundations of the Al-Aqsa Mosque several days ago. Whatever lame excuses are bandied by the Israeli occupation forces the Muslims view the excavations close to the Mugraby Gate of the ancient edifice as yet another step to demolish the Islamic world’s third holiest shrine.

Once the mosque is razed, the Israelis hope, the Muslims would lose their sentimental attachment to Jerusalem and the Jews would be able to lay their hands on the entire area without much resistance from the Muslims. The destruction of the mosque would also change the Islamic features of the city and thus would be a strategic step in destroying the Arab identity of Jerusalem and Judaizing it.

In spite of mounting demand from the Arab and Muslim masses and governments alike to stop the attacks on the historic mosque, Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert refuses to suspend the excavations, betraying his scant respect for international conventions and peace agreements.

The Israeli premier of course feels encouraged by Washington’s “support anything Israel does” position on the issue. Israel’s explanation for its act is that some Jewish extremists claim that a pillar of the Solomon’s Temple is buried underneath the mosque. Despite warnings from unbiased historians that the current excavations could lead to the destruction of the historic mosque the politically motivated premier does not show any signs of desisting from his barbaric move.

It has been pointed out that the present excavation is the 118th attempt by the Israeli authorities to demolish the mosque since they occupied Jerusalem in June 1967, not counting the numerous efforts made by the armed Jewish gangs to trespass and violate the sanctity of the mosque since 1929.

Rabbi Shlomo Goren started making Jewish prayers at the site of the Western Wall of the mosque following the victory of the Israel occupying forces in the 1967 Six-Day War. The Israelis demolished the medieval Moroccan Quarter in front of the Western Wall. For the first time after Saladin’s victory over the Crusaders in the 12th century the Friday prayer at the mosque was interrupted on June 9, 1967. Some extremist elements even tried to burn down the mosque in 1969. The Zionist designs were foiled, but Saladin’s pulpit was gutted. In the same year Israeli police fired at and injured dozens of worshippers inside the mosque. In January 1981 a group called Temple Mount Guards under the command of Rabbi Moshe Shegel stormed the mosque and tried to raise the Israeli flag over it. The second intifada was triggered by Ariel Sharon’s encroachments on the mosque in 2000.

The present activities strongly suggest that the Jewish state is not going to stop at excavations at some particular side of the ancient building but wants to dig almost everywhere underneath the mosque with the covert aim of weakening the foundations of the holy structure. So far the ultra-right archaeologists could not find any trace of the Jewish temple there. All that they found are some Arab Canaanite artifacts. I do not believe that the Jews would ever find what they seek from the excavations.

I want to give a word of advice to the Jewish historians that they should abandon all misguided concepts they attach to the legends about the Solomon’s Temple. The myth about the Wailing Wall is a recent innovation. It was in fact invented to rally support for the founding of the State of Israel. As the Jewish state has become a reality now there is no need to spread invented stories.

The Arab League is currently taking steps to guarantee the safety of the Aqsa Mosque against the Israeli excesses. The mayor of Jerusalem has also made a decision to stop the excavations after meeting with the rabbis and Muslim scholars.

Muslims of the world should offer their undivided support to the efforts of the Arab League to foil Israeli designs on the Aqsa Mosque in particular and the Islamic features of Jerusalem in general. The Muslim protests should be directed not only against Israel but also against the United States, which is supporting all unreasonable demands put forward by the Jewish extremists.