JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, July 27 (AFP) - The Saudi-based Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) warned Tuesday of Muslim "anger" in the event of an attack on Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque.
"Any strike on Al-Aqsa mosque will stir feelings of anger among Muslims around the world and lead to trouble on a large scale and unforeseeable serious consequences for peace and security in the world," said OIC head Abdelwahed Belkeziz, quoted by the official Saudi news agency SPA.
Noting that the mosque is Islam's third holiest site after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia, Belkeziz said he would hold the Israeli government "responsible for any aggression" against the mosque.
Israeli police barred Jews from entering the Temple Mount in Jerusalem's Old City on Tuesday for fear of unrest during commemorations for the historic destruction of the first and second Jewish Temples.
Interior Minister Tsahi Hanegbi warned Saturday of a high risk of an attack by Jewish extremists against Islamic holy places on Temple Mount or against Muslims there.
Temple Mount is called Al-Haram al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) by Muslims and shelters the Dome of the Rock (Omar Mosque) and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
"The risk of Jewish extremists and fanatics committing an attack against Temple Mount or the faithful in this most sacred place for Islam has never been so high," the minister said.
Such an attack would have the aim of sabotaging Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to pull out of the Gaza Strip by "provoking a chain reaction", the minister said.
"We have a considerable amount of disquieting information according to which it is not only academic ideas but concrete projects," he added.
The Al-Aqsa mosque was built on the site of the second Jewish temple, the holiest shrine in Judaism, which was destroyed by the Romans more than 600 years before.