Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has rejected an appeal from Defense Minister Amir Peretz to halt excavation work near Jerusalem’s holiest site, the al-Aqsa mosque compound. The site is inside Israeli-occupied and annexed east Jerusalem. To Muslims the compound is known as Haram al-Sharif and to Jews as the Temple Mount. For years the Islamic Movement has waged a campaign to save al-Aqsa mosque. Arab states have said the work could damage the compound’s foundations.

Peretz wrote to Olmert on Wednesday, citing security concerns for the immediate stop to the work. Olmert’s office said, “A thorough examination of the matter would reveal that nothing about the work under way will harm anyone, and there is no truth in the contentions against the work.” The excavation started on Tuesday, and has added fuel to the flaring tensions between Israel and Palestinians, who are degraded on a daily basis already.

Palestinians have warned that a ceasefire in Gaza could unravel if the work continues. The Fatah party said any damage caused to the mosque would “lead to a termination” of the ceasefire and spark a “volcano of anger”. Sheikh Abdallah Nimr Darwish, head of Israel’s Islamic Movement, told Israel Radio, “I turn to Olmert to think anew.” He added, “Whoever wants to speak about peace does not excavate anywhere in the area around the holy al-Aqsa mosque.”

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