PNC in Jordan praises actions which led to riots at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in order to prevent its “defilement”

Headline: “[Palestinian] National Council members in Jordan praise the Jerusalem residents’ courage in defending the Al-Aqsa Mosque”

“Palestinian National Council (i.e., the legislative body of the PLO) members in Jordan praised the legendary resolve of our heroic people in Jerusalem – Muslims and Christians – against the terror of the occupation and its settlers on the first day of Eid Al-Adha (i.e., “the Sacrifice Feast”) in defense of the Al-Aqsa Mosque (refers to Muslims rioting on the Temple Mount to block Jews from visiting it on Tisha B’Av, Aug. 11, 2019; see note below –Ed.), led by [PA Grand] Mufti of Jerusalem and the Palestinian Territories [and Palestinian Supreme Fatwa Council Chairman] Sheikh Muhammad Hussein, Al-Aqsa Mosque Manager Omar Al-Kiswani, and Jerusalem Islamic Waqf Council Chairman Abdul Azim Salhab.
This was said during a meeting held today (Monday) [Aug. 12, 2019] at the site of the [Palestinian National] Council’s session in the capital of Jordan, Amman, at the invitation of National Council Chairman Salim Al-Za’anoun, and in the presence of his deputy Father Constantine Qarmash, Council Secretary Muhammad Sbeih, and [Palestinian] national leader Farouq Al-Qaddumi.
The [council] members praised the decisions to delay the holiday prayer and limit it to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the postponement of slaughtering the sacrifices to the second day [of the holiday], which had a great impact on the gathering of the Palestinian masses from all levels and ages… and all of them succeeded in thwarting the occupation’s plan and the settlers’ dreams of dividing the Al-Aqsa Mosque (referring to a proposed law that would allow Jews to pray on the Temple Mount; see note below –Ed.) from being carried out…
They emphasized that the Israeli occupation government is fully responsible… and saw in this that this extremist government is pushing towards a religious war in the most sensitive area in the world, and it must bear all of the consequences stemming from this.
They also demanded that the Arab and Islamic nations fulfill their obligations towards the Palestinian cause, particularly regarding the abandonment and defilement of their sanctity to which the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem are being subjected in these blessed days, and the attempt to divide [the Al-Aqsa Mosque] as a prelude to it being taken over.”

Muhammad Hussein also serves as Deputy Secretary-General and acting Secretary-General of the PLO Popular National Conference of Jerusalem.

Tisha B'Av 2019 – Muslims rioted on the Temple Mount on Aug. 11, 2019, for the express purpose of preventing Jews from going up to the site on Tisha B'Av (see note below), and were explicitly incited to do so by PA leaders such as PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ Advisor on Religious Affairs Mahmoud Al-Habbash, who two days prior posted a call on his Facebook page for Muslims in Jerusalem to postpone their holiday observance to the second day of the holiday so that "people will be available to carry out Ribat at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in order to resist the Israeli plan to invade the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the first day of the holiday (i.e. Tisha B' Av)," adding "Our mosque is our Ribat and the Al-Aqsa Mosque is our Jihad."

Tisha B'Av - Jewish day of mourning commemorating the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem (586 BCE and 70 CE) and the forced exile of most of the Jewish people from the land of Israel.

“Division according to areas and times” refers to a submission of a “private bill” by Israeli MP Uri Ariel in March 2003. The bill suggested ensuring freedom of religious worship by allowing both Jews and Muslims to pray on the Temple Mount - what the Palestinians call the Al-Aqsa Mosque plaza. The bill sought to designate separate prayer times and areas of the site for Muslims and Jews. The bill never progressed past the initial legislatory stage. While there was additional discussion on the subject in 2012, no legislation was ever passed. In response to the incessant PA claims that the “division according to areas and times” of the Temple Mount is an operative Israeli plan, former Israeli PM Netanyahu stated on many occasions that the Israeli government has no intention of ‎changing the so-called status quo on the Temple Mount, which de facto is interpreted to mean Jews are only allowed to enter the Temple Mount, but not to conduct individual or communal prayers there. In July 2021, Israeli PM Naftali Bennett said Muslims and Jews have freedom of worship at the Temple Mount, which was understood by many as a hint to changing the status quo at the site, but the following day his office backtracked and said he misspoke and did not mean Jews would have freedom of worship, but rather would have freedom to visit. “There is no change in the status quo,” a statement from PM Bennett’s office confirmed.y type of worship.