Ramallah: European Union (EU) representatives in Palestine, Sven Kuehn Von Burgsdorf has urged Israel and Palestinians to ease the tensions of installation at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem.
In a statement on Sunday, Burgsdorff expressed concern about the sustainable Israeli-Palestinian tension around the Al-Aqsa Mosque, calling for “avoiding incitement and respecting the status quo” by both sides, reported the Xinhua news agency.
He added that “Israeli authorities, religious leaders and communities on all parties must act urgently to reduce the developing situation”.
Burgsdorff’s statement came in response to the clash of violence that erupted on Sunday between Palestinian worshipers and Israeli police in the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex.
Clashes broke out after Israeli police forces stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque, to coincide with the performance of dawn prayer.
According to the Palestinian media, Israeli police fired a grenade stun to worshipers to force them to leave, so as to facilitate the entry of hundreds of Jewish settlers to the mosque of the Mughrabi gate, the only gate to the complex.
The settler entry coincided with the ninth day of the Hebrew AV month, which usually occurs in July-August at the Georgian calendar.
Jews believe it is a warning of the destruction of two ancient Jerusalem temples.
Tensions in East Jerusalem, especially in the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex, triggered conflict May 10-21 between Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, where 255 Palestine and 13 Israelis were killed.
EU messenger calls for interpreting tensions in East Jerusalem
