Israeli security forces have used stun grenades to keep back Palestinians who tried to prevent about 70 Israelis and their police escort from entering Jerusalem's al-Haram al-Sharif.

Celebrating the capture of all of Arab East Jerusalem 38 years ago, dozens of Israelis entered al-Haram al-Sharif, the home of the al-Aqsa mosque, on Monday in a tour that resulted in scuffles and light injuries.

A police spokesman said forces moved in when some of the several hundred Palestinians who had been praying at the mosque began throwing stones at Jewish group.

The director of Palestinian endowments in Jerusalem, Adnan al-Husaini, told Aljazeera that the Israeli police allowed Jewish extremists to enter the al-Aqsa mosque's courtyard and that he had warned police such a move would provoke a disturbance.

"We have previously warned them [Israeli forces] not to allow Jewish settlers to enter al-Haram … especially following Jewish threats last week," he said.

"These extremists carry out their provocative actions, backed by the Israeli police. We no longer expect Israeli police to change their ways."

Security forces told Aljazeera that the visitors were not from the Jewish extremist group Revava that has called for nearly all of the sanctuary to come under rabbinical control.

The site is one of the most politically sensitive in the city. A Palestinian uprising erupted in September 2000 after Ariel Sharon, toured the compound.

PHOTO CAPTION

Palestinian girls learn how to read the Koran inside the Saud Hasham mosque in Gaza city June 5, 2005. (REUTERS)