PA claims that the Al-Aqsa Mosque is in “real and serious danger” after an Israeli flag was waved there

Headline: “Al-Malki: We contacted the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to deal with the dangers of the Israeli flag being waved inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque”

“[PA] Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Riyad Al-Malki sent two identical letters to Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Secretary-General Yousef Othaimeen regarding the noted Israeli escalation against the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, whose goal is to hasten its division according to areas (see note below -Ed.)…

According to an announcement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Al-Malki emphasized that the occupation authorities are deliberately continuing to give a religious character to the daily invasions of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque in order to realize their colonialist aspirations to expand within occupied Jerusalem. The latest example of this happened yesterday [Sept. 28, 2021], when an Israeli flag was overtly waved in the Al-Aqsa Mosque plazas and overt mass Talmudic (i.e., Jewish) ceremonies were held in its plazas, and this was in addition to the noted increase in the number of invaders and religious ceremonies being held in religious garb, while giving explanations about the alleged Temple…

The minister called on the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to work at all levels to explain and expose the real and serious dangers to which the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque is being exposed.”

“Division according to areas and times” refers to a submission of a “private bill” by Israeli MP Uri Ariel in March 2003. The bill suggested ensuring freedom of religious worship by allowing both Jews and Muslims to pray on the Temple Mount - what the Palestinians call the Al-Aqsa Mosque plaza. The bill sought to designate separate prayer times and areas of the site for Muslims and Jews. The bill never progressed past the initial legislatory stage. While there was additional discussion on the subject in 2012, no legislation was ever passed. In response to the incessant PA claims that the “division according to areas and times” of the Temple Mount is an operative Israeli plan, former Israeli PM Netanyahu stated on many occasions that the Israeli government has no intention of ‎changing the so-called status quo on the Temple Mount, which de facto is interpreted to mean Jews are only allowed to enter the Temple Mount, but not to conduct individual or communal prayers there. In July 2021, Israeli PM Naftali Bennett said Muslims and Jews have freedom of worship at the Temple Mount, which was understood by many as a hint to changing the status quo at the site, but the following day his office backtracked and said he misspoke and did not mean Jews would have freedom of worship, but rather would have freedom to visit. “There is no change in the status quo,” a statement from PM Bennett’s office confirmed.y type of worship.

The PA and its leaders misrepresent all of the Temple Mount as an integral part of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Therefore, they vilify 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. Israeli police ban Jewish prayer at the Temple Mount because of threats of violence by Palestinians.