Jerusalem: The Jerusalem Affairs Department of the Palestine Liberation Organization has raised alarms over the substantial incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque, signaling an unprecedented phase under the auspices of the occupation government.
According to Union of OIC News Agencies, over 3000 settlers, led by extremist Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Knesset member Amit Halevi, participated in the storming, which included Talmudic rituals and epic prostrations in front of the Dome of the Rock, as well as loud chanting of religious hymns.
The department emphasized in a press statement that the incursions' timing, coinciding with the anniversary of the Temple's destruction, and the calls by Temple groups to increase the number of intruders to five thousand, reflect a strategic move to establish a permanent Israeli religious and political presence within the Al-Aqsa Mosque. This development marks a departure from mere provocation to an attempt to reshape the identity of the site and enforce new dynamics by force.
Highlighting the occupation police's installation of a special canopy for settlers inside the mosque's courtyards, a first since Jerusalem's occupation, along with strict military measures at the mosque's gates and the restriction of worshippers, the department underscored the official Israeli establishment's role in facilitating these incursions. This contrasts with the systematic limitation on access for those with original rights to the holy site.
The department further stressed that these actions are not isolated incidents but part of a comprehensive government policy aiming to reshape the religious and political landscape in Jerusalem. This threatens to undermine Al-Aqsa Mosque's historical and legal status and escalate tensions and instability in the city.
In response, the Jerusalem Affairs Department urged the United Nations, UNESCO, and influential countries to take urgent actions to halt this escalation and implement measures to protect Al-Aqsa Mosque and occupied Jerusalem from unilateral policies violating international law. The department warned that continued international silence could provide political cover for these actions aimed at altering the city's identity and sacred sites.