Jerusalem: The Jerusalem Governorate of the Palestinian Authority today warned of escalating moves by so-called Temple groups seeking to alter the status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque by shifting their demands from incitement, incursions, and rituals to political and judicial channels.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the governorate said the latest demand is to open Al-Aqsa Mosque to Israeli colonists on Saturdays, coinciding with an Israeli court hearing tomorrow on a petition seeking such access. In a statement, the governorate emphasized that the demand to open Al-Aqsa on Saturdays is not an isolated development but part of an organized campaign that has intensified in recent months.
The statement further noted that Temple groups held a conference on August 27, attended by Israeli political figures, including Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and Knesset member Amit Halevi, to advocate for opening the site to Jews on Saturdays. Israeli media also reported the participation of these officials in the conference and their calls for access to the Temple Mount on Saturdays.
The governorate indicated that the campaign transitioned to the judicial sphere on September 3, with a petition submitted to the Israeli Supreme Court aiming to change the policy preventing Jews from entering the mosque compound on Saturdays. The court is scheduled to hear the petition tomorrow before a three-judge panel.
The Jerusalem Governorate warned against framing the demand as a matter of 'equality' or 'freedom of worship,' asserting that it is an attempt to redefine rules governing access and use of Al-Aqsa Mosque. The governorate expressed concern over the potential establishment of a new day for colonists to enter the site, which could regularize the practice and impose rituals and prayer there.
The governorate reiterated that Al-Aqsa Mosque, covering its entire 144-dunam area, is an exclusively Muslim place of worship. It cautioned that attempts to allocate specific days or hours for its use constitute a direct challenge to the established historical and legal status quo and could lead to the temporal and spatial division of the mosque.
In conclusion, the governorate called for efforts to confront these initiatives and protect Al-Aqsa Mosque's religious and legal identity and status.