TEMPLE MOUNT WATCH: more on the danger of a collapse during Ramadan:

New Battle Looms Over Jerusalem Holy Site


Thursday October 14, 2004 6:46 AM

AP Photo JRL115

By KARIN LAUB

Associated Press Writer

JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel said Wednesday it would severely limit the access of Muslim worshippers to Jerusalem's most volatile holy site during the holy month of Ramadan, claiming it could collapse. . . .
[...]

Israel's police minister, Gideon Ezra, said he wants the Islamic Trust, or Waqf, to declare the southeastern corner of the holy site compound off-limits.

If the Waqf does not agree, ``we will view this as a real and immediate threat and we can't let this happen ... we will have to limit the number of worshippers to 50,000 or 60,000,'' Ezra told Israel Army Radio. The compound holds about 250,000 people and is often filled to capacity during the main Ramadan prayers.

The chief Muslim cleric, or mufti, of Jerusalem, said he would not go along with the Israeli request. Egyptian and Jordanian engineers who inspected the walls after the earthquake said that ``there is no real danger,'' the mufti, Ikrema Sabri, told The Associated Press.

[...]

As I've said before, I don't trust the Grand Mufti's opinion on this. Better safe than sorry.