Today, on Sunday, the Israeli occupation government is set to convene its weekly meeting in the tunnels of the Al-Buraq Wall, located beneath the revered Al-Aqsa Mosque. This marks the second time they have chosen this location for their meeting, the first being in 2017.
The Israeli occupation government has announced that the meeting will be overseen by the self-proclaimed Ministry of Jerusalem, aimed at endorsing projects to Judaize the city. Of primary concern is a five-year plan from 2023 to 2027, focusing on the so-called Judaizing holy wicker project.
To add on, under heavy police protection, dozens of extremist Israeli settlers, led by hard-right Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, forcefully entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied Jerusalem this morning.
This is the second occasion where this hawkish Israeli minister has trespassed into this Islamic holy site since assuming his ministerial position.
Asserting his authority, Ben-Gvir proclaimed, “We are in charge here,” as he roamed the site. He expressed his delight in ascending to the Temple Mount, a site of utmost significance to the Jewish people.
Following Ben-Gvir’s unauthorized entry, additional groups of Israeli Jewish settlers were permitted into the compound, where they conducted rituals under the watchful gaze of the police.
Situated in occupied Jerusalem, the Al-Aqsa Mosque holds tremendous sanctity for Muslims and is recognized as the third holiest site in Islam. Historically, it served as the original Qibla, the direction to which Muslims turned for prayer, before Mecca in Saudi Arabia became the new Qibla.
Jerusalem last night: brutal arrests and aggressive attacks against Palestinians in the Old City. pic.twitter.com/bIHZWpekmr
— TIMES OF GAZA (@Timesofgaza) May 21, 2023
Wide Condemnations
The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs has unequivocally condemned Itamar Ben-Gvir’s violation of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied Jerusalem. Ambassador Sinan Al-Majali, spokesperson for the Jordanian Foreign Ministry, labeled Ben-Gvir’s intrusion as “provocative, condemned, dangerous, and unacceptable.” He emphasized that it constitutes a blatant transgression of international law, as well as the established historical and legal status quo of Jerusalem and its holy sites.
Al-Majali cautioned against the continuous assaults by Israel on Islamic and Christian sacred places in Jerusalem. He also highlighted the unilateral measures of settlement expansion and daily incursions into Palestinian communities, warning that such actions could lead to further escalations, demanding immediate intervention from the international community to prevent them.
Furthermore, Al-Majali emphasized that the Al-Aqsa Mosque, encompassing its entire 144-dunum area, is a sacred place of worship for Muslims. He reiterated that the Jerusalem Awqaf and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, is the legitimate authority with exclusive jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, including determining who is granted access.
Al-Majali called upon Israel, the occupying power, to cease all practices and violations in the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and to refrain from any measures intended to alter the existing historical and legal status quo of this revered site.
Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesperson for President Mahmoud Abbas, vehemently condemned Itamar Ben-Gvir’s trespass into the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem, deeming it a flagrant assault on this holy place, which will bear severe consequences.
Abu Rudeineh affirmed that attempts by Ben-Gvir and other extremists to alter the status quo of the Al-Aqsa Mosque are unequivocally condemned and rejected, and are destined to fail. He underscored that the Palestinian people will vigilantly protect their sacred site.
The presidential spokesperson stressed that Ben-Gvir’s violation demands immediate action from the international community, particularly the United States administration, to preserve the status quo in Jerusalem.
“Harming the Al-Aqsa Mosque is akin to playing with fire, and it will ignite a religious war with unimaginable consequences that will affect everyone,” he concluded.
Source: Al-Manar English Website
