Israeli police confront worshipers at Al-Aqsa

JERUSALEM, Feb 9 (Reuters) Israeli police forces entered the area around the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem and dispersed stone-throwing worshipers with stun grenades at the end of Friday prayers, the police said.

Muslim leaders had called for protests over excavations near Islam's third holiest shrine.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Arab states have asked Israel to halt the excavations, charging it could damage the mosque's foundations.

Israel said the holy places would not be harmed by what it called an attempt, mandated by law, to salvage artefacts before construction of a pedestrian bridge leading to the complex known to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif and to Jews as Temple Mount.

A police spokesman said the forces entered the area around the mosque after being pelted with stones. He said police did not fire rubber bullets as initially reported by Israel Radio.

REUTERS SY RK1806