Jerusalem: Tuesday, a prominent Israeli rabbi took action to stop Jewish activists from violating the prohibition against holding a traditional Passover sacrifice at the sensitive Al-Aqsa mosque compound in occupied east Jerusalem.

Shmuel Rabinowitz, the rabbi of the Western Wall, made the decision in response to concerns that there might be violence at the holy site because the Jewish holiday falls during Ramadan, the Muslim holy month that attracts tens of thousands of worshippers to pray at Al-Aqsa.

According to a statement from the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, "Rabbi of the Western Wall to prevent bringing animals to the Mughrabi area following reports of intent to bring a Passover sacrifice up to the Temple Mount."

Also Read: Russian meeting on Ukraine's webcast is not allowed by Britain

The Western Wall, which is located beneath the mosque complex that Jews regard as the Temple Mount, is the holiest place where they can pray.

On the night before the Jewish holiday of Passover, sheep and goats are traditionally sacrificed.

Jewish activists have attempted to smuggle animals into the mosque grounds in the past to recreate the sacrifice as it is described in the Bible.

Also Read:  Trump is accused of using a hush-money scheme to improve his chances in the 2016 election

The Foundation stated, referring to the entrance to the mosque compound used by non-Muslims, "(we) will work to prevent bringing animals to the Mughrabi ramp area under the direction of the rabbi of the Western Wall and holy sites, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz."

The radical Jewish group Returning to the Mountain has stated that it will pay 20,000 shekels ($5,570) to anyone who completes the "holy mission" of performing a sacrifice at the compound, which is the third holiest site in Islam.

According to Israeli police, the organization's director was detained on Monday as a preventative measure.

Due to "a severe breach of Jewish law," Israel's chief Sephardi rabbi, Yitzhak Yosef, published a notice on Tuesday forbidding followers from going to the Al-Aqsa compound.

Also Read:  In the centre of the most recent Donald Trump legal controversy, who is the Iraqi attorney?

Allowing Jewish sacrifice in the compound "would fuel an already explosive situation, for which the Israeli occupation government bears full responsibility," the Islamist movement Hamas, which rules Gaza, warned on Monday.