PA daily op-ed: Israel is trying to ignite a religious war, is waging “wars” against the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in order to destroy it and build “what is called ‘the Third Temple’ on its ruins”
Excerpt of an op-ed by Omar Hilmi Al-Ghoul, regular columnist for the official PA daily
Headline: “Israel’s war against the churches”
“The Israeli colonialism state is continuing to wage its wars against the Islamic and Christian houses of worship (refers to measures to collect taxes on church-owned properties in Jerusalem, not churches themselves; the proposed measures were later frozen –Ed.) in order to ignite a religious war and turn the conflict from political to religious. It has not stopped its wars against the Al-Aqsa Mosque at all levels, and is still continuing to force through its terrorist agenda from a religious point of view. This is in order to force through a division according to times and areas, ahead of destroying the mosque and building what is called ‘the Third Temple’ on its ruins.”
"Division according to areas and times" refers to a proposed law (May 2013) being reviewed in Israeli Parliament that would allow for both Jews and Muslims to pray on the Temple Mount, what the Palestinians call the Al-Aqsa Mosque plaza. The law seeks to designate separate prayer times and areas of the site for Muslims and Jews.
However, Israeli PM Netanyahu has stated on many occasions that the Israeli government has no intention of changing the status quo on the Temple Mount, which means Jews are allowed to enter the Temple Mount, but cannot pray there or engage in any type of worship.
Headline: “Israel’s war against the churches”
“The Israeli colonialism state is continuing to wage its wars against the Islamic and Christian houses of worship (refers to measures to collect taxes on church-owned properties in Jerusalem, not churches themselves; the proposed measures were later frozen –Ed.) in order to ignite a religious war and turn the conflict from political to religious. It has not stopped its wars against the Al-Aqsa Mosque at all levels, and is still continuing to force through its terrorist agenda from a religious point of view. This is in order to force through a division according to times and areas, ahead of destroying the mosque and building what is called ‘the Third Temple’ on its ruins.”
"Division according to areas and times" refers to a proposed law (May 2013) being reviewed in Israeli Parliament that would allow for both Jews and Muslims to pray on the Temple Mount, what the Palestinians call the Al-Aqsa Mosque plaza. The law seeks to designate separate prayer times and areas of the site for Muslims and Jews.
However, Israeli PM Netanyahu has stated on many occasions that the Israeli government has no intention of changing the status quo on the Temple Mount, which means Jews are allowed to enter the Temple Mount, but cannot pray there or engage in any type of worship.