GAZA, March 28 (Xinhuanet) -- The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) pledged Monday an "earthquake" retaliation if extremist Jewish activists attacked al Aqsa Mosque, Islam's third holiest shrine.

    This warning was carried on a Hamas website, which quoted the movement's top leader Mahmoud Al Zahar as saying "the reaction to any attack on al Aqsa Mosque would be shaking the Zionist enemy like a powerful earthquake."

    Several Jewish groups had threatened to break into al Aqsa Mosque in east Jerusalem on April 10, in case Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon implements his disengagement plan.

    Israel is due to implement the disengagement plan from July, which envisages a pullout of Israeli forces and Jewish settlers from 21 settlements in the Gaza Strip and four from the northern West Bank.

    The Mufti of Jerusalem and the holy lands Sheikh Ekrema Sabri also accused the Jewish fanatics' declared intention to storm the holy mosque of posing a real threat.

    "Their threats would never lessen our attitude," he told the Palestinian radio Voice of Palestine, adding that the Aqsa guards and the Muslim prayers were on high alert to face any possible attack on the mosque at any time.

    "We will defend the Aqsa mosque with all means and strength and we will preserve its Islamic and Arab identity," he stressed.

    The mosque, occupied by Israel during the 1967 Middle East war, is guarded by Israeli police. Enditem