Israeli police raided the al-Aqsa Mosque compound and hurled stun grenades at Muslims protesting there at midday Friday, after demonstrators threw stones at the Western Wall area below, Israel Radio reported.

According to the radio, 4,000 Muslim worshippers gathered at al- Aqsa Mosque compound for Friday prayers on the day.

Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported on its website that at the end of the prayers at the mosque, worshipers started to throw stones at the police officers.

Then, large police forces broke into the complex and threw stunt grenades, said the report, adding that several officers were lightly injured and Jewish worshipers were evacuated from the Western Wall Plaza.

Meanwhile, the pan-Arab al-Jazeera TV channel also reported that some protesters were injured and some others were arrested, but the exact number is still unknown.

The Israeli Antiquities Authority on Tuesday began a salvage excavation in the Jerusalem Archeological Park, sitting beneath the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, for the purpose of erecting supporting pillars for a permanent and safe bridge leading to the entrance of the compound.

Although Israel said the excavations will impose no threat to the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, Muslims, Arab countries across the Middle East have condemned Israel's move and expressed their concern that the excavation could undermine the peace efforts in the region.

Source: Xinhua