PA Mufti: “Extremist Jewish Temple organizations” are carrying out attacks against the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which heralds “religious war”
Headline: “The [PA] grand mufti warned against the call to invade the Al-Aqsa Mosque and defile it”
“[PA] Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and the Palestinian Territories and preacher at the Al-Aqsa Mosque Sheikh Muhammad Hussein warned against the calls of those who are called ‘the extremist Jewish Temple organizations’ to invade the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and participate in an event called ‘offering the Passover holiday sacrifice,’ which they intend to hold in the area of the Umayyad palaces adjacent to the Al-Aqsa Mosque ( See note below –Ed.)…
He explained that continuing the attack against the sites that are holy to the Palestinians, and prime among them the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, turns the region into a ticking bomb and heralds an imminent religious war, which will have results whose scope and consequences are unforeseeable, and he held the occupation authorities fully responsible for this.”
"Extremist Jewish Temple organizations" refer to religious Jewish movements including The Temple Mount Institute, The Temple Mount Heritage Foundation, The Initiative for Jewish Freedom on the Temple Mount and Students for the Temple Mount, which spread awareness of the importance of the Temple Mount in Judaism and encourage people to visit the site.
Preceding the Passover holiday in April 2017, the Temple Mount Institute petitioned the Israeli High Court of Justice to practice the Passover sacrifices at the Davidson Center just south of the Temple Mount, but the petition was rejected by the court.
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.
“[PA] Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and the Palestinian Territories and preacher at the Al-Aqsa Mosque Sheikh Muhammad Hussein warned against the calls of those who are called ‘the extremist Jewish Temple organizations’ to invade the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and participate in an event called ‘offering the Passover holiday sacrifice,’ which they intend to hold in the area of the Umayyad palaces adjacent to the Al-Aqsa Mosque ( See note below –Ed.)…
He explained that continuing the attack against the sites that are holy to the Palestinians, and prime among them the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, turns the region into a ticking bomb and heralds an imminent religious war, which will have results whose scope and consequences are unforeseeable, and he held the occupation authorities fully responsible for this.”
"Extremist Jewish Temple organizations" refer to religious Jewish movements including The Temple Mount Institute, The Temple Mount Heritage Foundation, The Initiative for Jewish Freedom on the Temple Mount and Students for the Temple Mount, which spread awareness of the importance of the Temple Mount in Judaism and encourage people to visit the site.
Preceding the Passover holiday in April 2017, the Temple Mount Institute petitioned the Israeli High Court of Justice to practice the Passover sacrifices at the Davidson Center just south of the Temple Mount, but the petition was rejected by the court.
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.