Abbas’ Spokesman warns of an “endless religious war" against Israel "that would undermine international peace and security”

 Presidency slams deactivation of Al-Aqsa Mosque loudspeakers during prayers

RAMALLAH, Wednesday, April 14, 2021 (WAFA) – The Palestinian Presidency Tuesday slammed the deactivation of the loudspeakers of Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque on the first day of Ramadan.

Presidency Spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, slammed shutting down the loudspeakers during the Taraweeh and Isha prayers as a racist hate crime, a “racist attack on the sanctity of the holy places and the freedom of worship” as well as a “gross violation of the international human rights conventions” committed by Israeli police.

He cautioned about the consequences of “this Israeli aggressive policy which threatens to transform the conflict into endless religious war that would undermine international peace and security” and held the Israeli occupation authorities fully responsible for such consequences.

He called upon the international community to take serious action in order to rein in the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Islamic and Christian holy places in Jerusalem.

Israeli police shut down the loudspeakers of the mosque as some 10,000 fully-vaccinated Palestinians performed their prayers on the first day of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

Policemen broke into the minarets of al-Magharba and al-Asbat and cut the electric wires to the loudspeakers, removed the door of Bab al-Asbat minaret, stormed the roof of the minareta and ransacked it.

They also prevented the distribution of Iftar meals to worshippers near Bab al-Asbat, and attacked worshippers as the latter were leaving the mosque following the Taraweeh prayer.

The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound houses both the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque.