JERUSALEM, Oct. 25 (UPI) -- A former Muslim official in Jerusalem claimed the city's famous Temple Mount never housed a Jewish temple and the Western Wall was once part of a mosque.
Ikrema Sabri, the former mufti of Jerusalem, said Jews are incorrect in believing the Western Wall, long revered as a Jewish holy site, was once part of the ancient Second Temple, The Jerusalem Post reported Thursday.
"The wall is not part of the Jewish temple. It is just the western wall of the mosque," he said. "There is not a single stone with any relation at all to the history of the Hebrews."
"There was never a Jewish temple on Al-Aksa (the mosque compound) and there is no proof that there was ever a temple," Sabri said. "Because Allah is fair, he would not agree to make Al-Aksa if there were a temple there for others beforehand."
When asked if Jews would be allowed to pray at the wall if it fell under Muslim control, Sabri said: "It is not the Temple Mount, you must say Al-Aksa. And no Jews have the right to pray at the mosque. It was always only a mosque -- all 144 dunams, the entire area. No Jewish prayer. If the Jews want real peace, they must not do anything to try to pray on Al-Aksa. Everyone knows that."
