On this third Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, crowds of followers listened to a sermon delivered by Supreme Islamic Justice Sheikh Taiseer Tamimi, who was banned from entering the city.

Israeli forces used teargas and fired rubber bullets in an attempt to forcibly disperse the Palestinians who crowded the checkpoint.

Tamimi said Israeli authorities have opened a synagogue on the southern wall of the Al-Aqsa compound, a step beyond the controversial visit by Israel’s then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to the mosque that sparked the second Intifada, also known as the Al-Aqsa uprising. The Sheikh denounced this action as a desecration of the Muslim holy site, linking it to other Israeli atrocities such as massacres.

Friday also marked the seventh anniversary of the beginning of the uprising. Tamimi said the Israli construction of a synagogue at this time amounted to a provocation of the Palestinians, and belied Israeli intentions to extend their control over the Al-Aqsa compound, which is home to the iconic Dome of the Rock.

Tamimi appealed to Arabs and Muslims to speak up and take action against this most recent incident of Israeli aggression, saying Israel could only benefit from Arab and Muslim silence.

He called on the international community, in particular the Middle East Quartet and the European Union to put pressure on Israel to stop its violations of Muslim holy sites in Palestine as well ass human rights abuses. He said such abuses violate both international and religious teachings.