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Palestinian religious leader praises UNESCO decision, says “Jews have no connection to Jerusalem”

Headline: "40,000 held Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque"

"In his Friday sermon [at the Al-Aqsa Mosque], Head of the Supreme [Muslim] Council in Jerusalem [and head preacher at the Al-Aqsa Mosque] Sheikh Ikrima Sabri called for greater support for the hunger striking prisoners in the occupation's prisons until their just demands are obtained …
The Al-Aqsa Mosque preacher praised UNESCO (UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), which decided two days ago [May 4, 2017] that Jerusalem is an occupied city and that 'Israel' has no connection to it…
He explained the danger of the settlers’ daily invasions of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and said that the Jewish groups photograph their invasions and spread them through the worldwide media outlets in order to encourage the Jews of the world to come to Palestine, and to mislead the world into thinking that the Al-Aqsa Mosque belongs to the Jews.
He emphasized that ‘This deception and falsification will not gain them any right to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and it will continue to belong exclusively to the Muslims, and we will not relinquish one grain of its soil.’"

In May 2017 UNESCO (UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) passed a resolution deploring Israel’s failure to adhere to previous UN decisions, particularly regarding the character and status of Jerusalem, its military acts against and closure of the Gaza Strip, Israeli excavations and work in East Jerusalem - and particularly the Old City of Jerusalem - and Hebron, and the banned access of Palestinians to Rachel’s tomb.

The PA and its leaders consider all of the Temple Mount an integral part of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Therefore they view any presence of Jews on the mount as an "invasion." It should be noted that Jews who visit the Temple Mount only enter some sections of the open areas, and do not enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque or the Dome of the Rock.

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