Israel mulls replacing al-Aqsa mosque

Minister of Housing and Construction Uri Ariel on Friday called for the construction of what he calls the Third Temple to replace the holy site.
 
Ariel says the first and the second temples were destroyed many years ago, so the third one needs to be built now.
 
“Al-Aqsa Mosque is currently in place of the temple,” he claimed.
 
Al-Aqsa Mosque is considered the third holiest site in the Muslim world.
 
Palestinians have denounced the plan as desecration.
 
They say it is part of the Israeli regime’s ongoing attempts to distort the Arab and Islamic history.
 
Palestinians argue that al-Quds is the capital of a future Palestinian independent state, and that its heritage should remain intact.