PA top official calls to put the Jewish activist, who light-heartedly posted an advert for an engineer to remove the Dome of the Rock, on trial

Headline: “Al-Habbash calls to put on trial an Israeli rabbi who called to destroy the Dome of the Rock”

“Supreme Shari’ah Judge and [PA] President [Mahmoud Abbas’] Advisor on Religious Affairs and Islamic Relations Mahmoud Al-Habbash called to put on trial an Israeli rabbi who published a picture of the Dome of the Rock and called to destroy it and transfer it to another site outside of the Jerusalem Noble Sanctuary (i.e., the Temple Mount; see note below)…

He said: ‘Popular resistance (i.e., term used by Palestinians, which also refers to the use of violence and terror) remains the factor that deters and ensures the stoppage of the ongoing aggression against our holy sites, and foremost among them the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.’ He also emphasized that our people is determined to resist this aggression with all its strength and determination.”

The mention of a call to destroy the Dome of the Rock refers to Temple Mount Heritage Foundation Chairman Yaacov Hayman’s apparently lighthearted post on Facebook on Nov. 4, 2021, which included a picture showing Hayman standing in front of the Dome of the Rock. In it, Hayman wrote: “Looking for an engineer/constructor demolitions expert who can give an estimate for planning a controlled dismantling, wrapping, and sending abroad of this structure. Happy new month Israel! May we soon merit the dedication of the altar (i.e., a reference to the approaching Hanukkah holiday)!”

Mahmoud Al-Habbash also serves as Chairman of the Supreme Council for Shari'ah Justice. In August 2019 PA Chairman Abbas dismissed all his advisors by Presidential decree. It is unclear what their status is today.

The terms "peaceful uprising/resistance,” and “popular uprising/resistance" are used by PA leaders at times to refer to peaceful protest and at times to refer to deadly terror attacks and terror waves. For example, ‎Mahmoud Abbas defined as “peaceful popular” the murderous terror during the 2015-2016 ‎terror wave (“The Knife Intifada”), in which 40 people were killed (36 Israelis, 1 Palestinian, 2 Americans and 1 Eritrean) and hundreds wounded in stabbings, shootings, and car ramming attacks. Abbas said: "We want peaceful popular uprising, and that’s what this is." https://palwatch.org/page/9276