Islamic orgs: Al-Aqsa Mosque “will remain an Islamic mosque,” will not be shared
Headline: “The Islamic bodies in Jerusalem condemned Erdan's statements against the Al-Aqsa Mosque"
"The Islamic bodies in Jerusalem – the Waqf Council (i.e., a council under the Jordanian Waqf), the Supreme Islamic Council, the Palestinian Dar Al-Ifta (i.e., an official PA institution issuing Fatwa religious rulings), the department of the Supreme Shari’ah Judge, and the Department of Jerusalem Islamic Endowments and Blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs – on Saturday evening [Oct. 12, 2019] condemned the statements of Israeli occupation Minister [of Public Security Gilad] Erdan regarding the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque (refers to comments regarding freedom of worship at the Temple Mount for all religions; see note below –Ed.)…
The Islamic bodies warned against these boasting and irresponsible statements that are leading the region and the entire world towards an inevitable religious conflict, which we do not wish for. He noted that any harm to the faith and holy sites constitutes contempt for the peoples’ and nations’ rights, and that it will bring nothing but destruction and ruin to anyone who tells himself that an invalid promise, just some baseless dream, or an obsolete tale is likely to fulfill occupation colonialist aspirations for him cloaked by religion in Jerusalem and the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Al-Aqsa Mosque will remain an Islamic mosque despite the statements of a passing senior official who will pass as [the Al-Aqsa Mosque's] hate-filled enemies have passed before him…
The bodies emphasized that… the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque… is an Islamic mosque with all of its plazas and houses of worship, above ground and below it, in [all] of its holy area, and with all of its territory that spreads over 144 dunams (i.e., approximately 35.6 acres) and the crossings that lead to it. It will forever remain as we have known it, an Islamic mosque in which only the name of Allah – who has no partner – is praised, and there is no room for partnership in it according to a divine decision."
In an interview with Israeli newspaper Makor Rishon published on Oct. 13, 2019, Israeli Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan spoke about freedom of worship on the Temple Mount for all religions. In response to a question as to whether there might be freedom of worship for Jews there, Erdan said: "I am certain there will be, God willing. It cannot be otherwise… We will reach this goal when many more Jews wish to visit the [Temple] Mount, and in this way the demand will be created that I hope and pray will come – so that while balancing the international interests, we will apply the necessary pressure to change the historical status quo that unfortunately discriminates against Jews on the Mount… This is a distorted situation and the aspiration must be to correct it. I believe the time will come when it will be corrected." https://www.makorrishon.co.il/news/177395/