A Muslim foundation defending holy cites in Jerusalem warned that the consecration of Hurva synagogue, which was restored on Monday, endangered al-Aqsa Mosque, which is situated just a few hundred meters away.

Jewish neighborhoods in East Jerusalem, captured by Israel in 1967 and later annexed, are considered by international community as Israeli settlements and one of the main obstacles to Israeli- Palestinian peace process.

Israel deems Jerusalem as its indivisible capital, while the Palestinians want the east section of the holy city as capital of their future state.

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) warned on Tuesday in a press statement of the current Israeli measures in Jerusalem, saying "such measures will not only affect the security and stability in Israel and the Palestinians, but also in the region and the rest of the world."

The PLO accused Israel "of trying to drag the whole world into a religious war by reopening the Hurva synagogue just a few hundred meters near the al-Aqsa Mosque," adding that "restoring the synagogue is an introduction to building their (Jewish) third temple on the ruins of the mosque."

Meanwhile, Hatem Abdul Qader, Fatah's representative in Jerusalem, said in a press statement sent to reporters that dedicating the synagogue near al-Aqsa Mosque will blow up more violence in the Palestinian territories and the entire region.

Meanwhile, thousands of Palestinians, including schoolchildren, university students and leaders of Islamic Hamas movement and other factions demonstrated on Tuesday in Gaza to protest against the Israeli measures in Jerusalem.

The demonstrators marched the streets of Gaza City, waving Palestinian flags and chanting slogans against the Israeli measures in the area of al-Aqsa Mosque in the old city of Jerusalem.

(Xinhua News Agency March 17, 2010)