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JERUSALEM (Ma'an) -- Jewish extremists taunted Muslim worshipers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem on Thursday, witnesses said.

Over 130 Israelis entered the compound from the the Moroccan Gate, escorted by Israeli police.

They chanted "Al-Aqsa will be destroyed," "The temple is coming soon," and "Soon Al-Aqsa will be in our hands," as they toured the compound, witnesses told Ma'an.

Palestinian worshipers confronted the visitors, leading to tense verbal confrontations, they added.

Azzam al-Khatib, director-general of the PA Ministry of Endowment, said Wednesday that Israeli police had rejected a request to stop the visits during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which began Wednesday.

Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told Ma'an he was not aware of the request. Rosenfeld said Jewish and Christian visitors regularly entered the compound in coordinated visits and that the tours would continue.