PA Prime Minister "saluted and expressed his appreciation" for violent Arab rioters in Jerusalem

“During his speech at the start of the weekly [PA] government meeting, [PA] Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh demanded to stop the Israeli aggression against the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque in order to preserve the sanctity of the site, which belongs to the Muslims only…

Shtayyeh saluted and expressed his appreciation for the members of our people who are standing firm, especially in Jerusalem, who are blocking the occupation forces’ attempts to create a new reality at the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and impose on the blessed mosque a division [between Jews and Muslims] according to times and areas.”

“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.