A radical armed Israeli settler attempted early Sunday to storm into Al-Aqsa Mosque and attack worshipers.

The Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem said that the guards of the mosque arrested the armed Israeli, who was trying to intrude the mosque, and then handed him to Israeli authorities.

It added that they expected him to commit a massacre as had happened in the Tombs of the Patriarchs in Hebron, when an Israeli settler sneaked into the shrine at the Fajer (dawn) prayer time and opened fire at the worshipers, killing and injuring dozens.

Jerusalem residents in surrounding neighborhoods rushed to the mosque when they heard about the incident.

Israeli attacks on the mosque have witnessed an increase, specially in the last three months, and Palestinians are thwarting these attempts.

However, Israeli police spokesperson Mickey Rosenfeld said that a "28-year-old disturbed man" was "picked up" when he was found wandering around the area. Rosenfeld denied that the man was armed.

An Israeli report also said the assailant was "mentally disturbed" and taken to a psychiatric hospital.

Fatah Jerusalem affairs chief Hatem Abdul Qader recalled a similar reaction to the radical Christian Zionist Dennis Michael Rohan, who was swiftly declared insane and hospitalized shortly after he set fire to Al-Aqsa in 1969.

Abdul Qader added that such Israeli policies encourage settlers and extremists "to continue with terror against Palestinians and holy places."

Israel forces stormed Al-Aqsa mosque twice after Palestinian leaders issued dire warnings over attempts by Jewish religious activists to raid the holy site.


Agencies