By Yasser ba Amer, IOL Correpondent"Israel plans to build the world's biggest synagogue inside the esplanade of Al-Aqsa Mosque," Salah, the head of Al-Aqsa foundation for Reconstruction of Islamic Sanctities, told Islamonline.net.
Salah, currently on a visit to Saudi Arabia, said he has obtained an Israeli document outlining in great detail an Israeli architectural blueprint to build the synagogue.
"This document sketches Israeli architectural projects supposedly to be finished in six years' time," he said.
Salah said that the leaked Israeli document has won the thumbs-up from Jewish leaders from all over the world, especially the United States, the world's superpower and Israel's traditional close ally.
The document shows that Israel has put aside $44 million to bring these projects to the light, according to Salah.
Salah said Israel wants to "legalize" its violations of the Al-Aqsa compound by forming a three-way committee comprising Muslims, Christians and Jews to supervise the works.
"Muslims and Christians would run their holy sites separately, but (the area) will be under Israel's sovereignty," he said.
The Al-Aqsa compound, known as Al-Haram Al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary), houses the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Al-Aqsa Mosque is the Muslims’ first Qiblah [direction Muslims take during prayers] and it is the third holiest shrine after Al Ka`bah in Makkah and Prophet Muhammad's Mosque in Madinah, Saudi Arabia.
Its significance has been reinforced by the incident of Al Isra'a and Al Mi'raj — the night journey from Makkah to Al-Quds and the ascent to the Heavens by Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings be Upon Him).
The holy place represents the heart of the Arab-Israeli conflict as Jews claim that their alleged Haykal (Temple of Solomon) exists underneath Al-Haram Al-Sharif.
Encircling Al-Aqsa
Salah warned that the Israeli synagogue gambit would eventually encircle Al-Aqsa mosque.
"Their destructive schemes are aimed at controlling the mosque's all directions and parts," Salah said.
"The proposed synagogue is the last step before establishing their alleged Haykal," he warned.
According to the Israeli blueprint, the colossal synagogue will have multiple gates that lead directly to Al-Aqsa.
"The Al-Aqsa's esplanade is planned to be the courtyard of their synagogue," Salah said.
He went on: "Israel plans to close the gate leading to Al-Buraq prayer area (the western part of Al-Aqsa), and build another gate that directly leads to the area.
"Al-Maghariba Gate (one of Al-Aqsa Mosque's 14 gates) would be also shut down and a bridge established to give a direct route to heart of the mosque so that Israel guarantees a full control over the site."
On the southern edge of the mosque, Israel plans to open a gate (now closed) leading to the Marwani prayer hall, which accommodates nearly 6,000 worshipers.
Underneath the mosque's western wall, a tunnel will be dug to serve as an emergency route for Israeli occupation troops to stem "Muslim riots," said Salah.
As for the eastern wall, Israel plans to exhume the Al-Rahma cemetery underneath, which contains the bodies of some of Prophet Muhammad's companions — to build an underground metro line to transfer Jewish pilgrims to the biblical Mount of Olives (Mount Olivet east of Al-Quds), home to the world's holiest Jewish cemetery, he added.
Israeli bulldozers started in February demolishing the wooden bridge leading to the Al-Maghariba Gate and two underground rooms, sparking widespread protests in the Palestinian lands and Muslim countries.
Archeologists warn that leveling the mound upon which the wooden bridge is built would threaten the foundation of Al-Aqsa Mosque and open the way for more Israeli excavations.
A part of the road leading to one of the mosque’s main gates collapsed in February of 2004 due to the destructive Israeli digging work.
Israeli Haaretz daily revealed last month that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ordered expediting controversial excavations near Al-Maghariba Gate two days after the Annapolis peace conference.
Photos taken by Arab Knesset member Abbas Zakur showed in February that the Israeli diggings revealed two Muslim prayer rooms underneath the bridge.
The photos also showed a wall adjacent to the two prayer rooms which might indicate the existence of a mosque that was later demolished.
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