RAMALLAH, 5 March 2008 -- The Al-Aqsa Foundation for Rehabilitating Islamic Sites yesterday accused "unknown Jewish elements" of vandalizing the Hassan Bek Mosque in Jaffa inside Israel.

The Jerusalem-based foundation said in a press statement that unknown perpetrators climbed over the fence surrounding the mosque early yesterday morning and vandalized the courtyard area, damaging some of the religious site's property.

Daily Yediot Ahronot said that Muslim worshippers, who arrived for morning prayers notified the Israeli police, which launched an investigation into the incident.

Mosque imam Nawar Daka told Yediot that "at around 4 a.m., the intruders started breaking objects and doors. The damage is not serious but what would have happened had they managed to come inside the mosque," he said.

In 2006, Shimon Ben-Chaim, a 35-year-old Jew, threw a pig's head wrapped in a kaffiyah (Palestinian scarf) into the mosque compound, sparking a wave of protests. In response to a question whether the mosque had been the target of other attacks since the one in 2006, the imam said, "Small incidents do happen. Once a man threatened to burn down the mosque."

One of the worshippers said, "Hatred drives the extremists crazy. This is a grave act that is part of a series of harassment Muslims have suffered. The police must put an end to the recurring and repeated harassment."

An Arab member of Israeli Knesset from Balad party, Jamal Zahalka, said, "This is the fourth time the mosque has been vandalized." He blamed the police for not dealing with those behind the incidents sternly."

Zahalka said he would ask Israeli Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter to investigate the incident on priority.

The Al-Aqsa Foundation said the assault was not the first of its kind as several Islamic sites inside Israel had been attacked before.

The foundation said Israeli authorities last month turned the historical Souk Mosque in Tiberias into a storehouse for building materials. According to the foundation, Bahar Mosque in Tiberias was the target of similar attacks in the past that included arson.

By Mohammed Mar’i

© Arab News 2008