Israeli settlers’ and government officials’ storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem on Monday, sparked outrage and condemnation by Palestinian factions and the Jordanian Foreign Ministry.
In a statement the Jerusalem Governorate said that the so called “Flag March” in which hundreds of illegal settlers and several Israeli government officials stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyards, is a provocative act carried out by extremist right-wing groups.
It added that the incursion by settlers and Knesset members involved many of them performing Talmudic rituals in the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied Jerusalem.
“These racist practices, which are taking place under heavy protection from the occupation forces, represent a dangerous escalation in the systematic Judaization policy targeting occupied East Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites, most notably the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, in a blatant challenge to the existing legal and historical status quo, and to the international will that has repeatedly affirmed that East Jerusalem is occupied Palestinian land.” – Jerusalem Governorate
The statement urged the occupation to respect the Hashemite custodianship of the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, adding that Jordan is the sole legitimate authority to oversee the affairs of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
For its part, the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs called the settlers’ invasion of the Al-Aqsa Mosque a serious violation and a clear attack on Islamic sanctities, and expressed a fear these violations escalating and pushing the region to the brink of religious war.
In a statement, the Palestinian National Council (PNC) called the storming a “systematic and dangerous escalation pursued by the Israeli occupation government, led by an extremist right-wing coalition headed by Benjamin Netanyahu, and fueled by inflammatory rhetoric adopted by ministers in his government and leaders of extremist religious movements.”
“This aggressive behavior can only be understood within the context of a deliberate plan to establish the conflict as a comprehensive religious war, which threatens to have disastrous consequences for the entire region.” – Palestinian National Council
Ambassador Sufian Al-Qudah, spokesman for the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates declared the Kingdom’s rejection and condemnation of the incursion by extremist Minister Ben-Gvir, and other members of the Israeli Knesset.
Al-Qdah added that the Ministry considers the unacceptable incitement a “flagrant violation of the historical and legal status quo and Israel’s obligations as the occupying power,” especially in light of Israel’s expansion of its war on the Gaza Strip and its dangerous escalation in the occupied West Bank.
The Ministry reiterated that East Jerusalem is an occupied city over which Israel has no sovereignty, the Al-Aqsa Mosque is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims, and the Jerusalem Endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs and Holy Places, is the only legal entity with exclusive jurisdiction.
The Arab 48 News outlet reported that in the morning, Israeli forces assaulted Al-Aqsa Mosque guards and forcibly expelled them from the mosque’s courtyards, while settlers assaulted and pepper-sprayed a young man at Bab al-Amoud (Damascus Gate), one of the main gates leading to the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
On Wednesday, the Jerusalem Governorate warned of a dangerous escalation in the occupied city after occupation police announced the plan for the provocative “Flag March,” scheduled for Monday, May 26.
Earlier, hundreds of illegal Israeli colonizers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque and performed Talmudic rituals, raised the flag of the occupation state and danced while Israeli police maintained barricades and restricted the entry of Palestinians.
