Ignoring missile hits, PA ramps up libel: Jewish plot behind Al-Aqsa Mosque war closure
- PA Chairman Abbas' office: Israel is "exploiting the current atmosphere of tension and escalation in the region to target Islamic and Christian religious sites"
- The PLO Department of Jerusalem Affairs "condemned the excuses being spread by the occupation authorities under the guise of an ‘emergency situation' and ‘security considerations' [that] constitute a cover for a systematic policy aimed at restricting the Palestinian presence at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and increasing control over it"
- PA Jerusalem District: "What is happening cannot be considered temporary security measures… but rather part of a political and ideological process aimed at changing the existing religious, historical, and legal reality at the blessed mosque"
- The PA Ministry of Foreign Affairs "condemned… the military closure by force to worshippers… under ‘security' pretexts… [adding that] ‘The State of Palestine emphasizes that the Al-Aqsa Mosque / the Noble Sanctuary (i.e., the Temple Mount)… is a place of worship for Muslims only'"
Although Jerusalem has had multiple missile alarms during the current war against Iran, the PA refuses to recognize the closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque plaza and the Temple Mount as Israeli security measures meant to keep visitors safe.
Instead, the PA continues to claim that Israel is using the war as a "pretext" to "prohibit" and "ban" Muslim worshippers from praying there during Ramadan.
This is an example of the PA's regular way of thinking and acting: Never admit to reality but continuously blame Israel for everything. Accordingly, both the PA and the PLO "condemned" Israel's safety measures as "pretexts," "excuses," and "a cover" for Israel's wish to "increase control" over the Al-Aqsa Mosque:
Posted text: "It has now been 15 consecutive days... the occupation (i.e., Israel) continues to close the Al-Aqsa Mosque and prevent residents from praying and observing the rituals of the last ten nights of Ramadan, using security reasons as a pretext."
Text on image: "15. Al-Aqsa Mosque has already been closed for fifteen days."
[Official PA Radio Voice of Palestine's Facebook page, March 14, 2026]
"For the 13th consecutive day, the occupation (i.e., Israel) is continuing to close the Al-Aqsa Mosque and ban worshippers from praying there, under the pretext of the security situation related to the American-Israeli war against Iran.
The [PA] Jerusalem District... emphasized that what is happening cannot be considered temporary security measures, as claimed by the occupation authorities, but rather part of a political and ideological process aimed at changing the existing religious, historical, and legal reality at the blessed mosque.The PLO Department of Jerusalem Affairs... condemned the excuses being spread by the occupation authorities under the guise of an ‘emergency situation' and ‘security considerations'... The department claimed that these justifications constitute a cover for a systematic policy aimed at restricting the Palestinian presence at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and increasing control over it."
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, March 13, 2026]
The PA and PLO promote this libel even though a warhead of an Iranian missile hit the Sultan's Pool near the Old City of Jerusalem on March 1, less than a kilometer (0.6 miles) from the Western Wall and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. [Times of Israel, March 1, 2026] Jerusalem has been targeted in many other Iranian attacks, and although most missiles have been intercepted, interception fragments or parts of missiles have caused great damage more than once, injuring people and damaging property and thereby posing a real risk.
Even PA Chairman Abbas' office promoted the libel, "warning" that Israel is "exploiting the current atmosphere of tension and escalation in the region to target Islamic and Christian religious sites." "The Presidency" further stressed that Jews have no right on the Temple Mount, claiming that: "the Al-Aqsa Mosque, with its entire area of 144 dunams, is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims." [WAFA, official PA news agency, English edition, March 11, 2026]
The PA Ministry of Foreign Affairs likewise condemned Israel for looking out for worshippers and echoed Abbas' and the PA's usual claim, documented by Palestinian Media Watch numerous times, that the entire Temple Mount is "a place of worship for Muslims only" and that Israel therefore has no right to make any decisions there:
"The [PA] Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates strongly condemned the ongoing aggression by the Israeli occupation authorities against the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, which includes its military closure by force to worshippers and the imposition of severe restrictions on access to the Old City and the places of worship in Jerusalem, under ‘security' pretexts, especially during the blessed month of Ramadan…
The ministry added: ‘The State of Palestine emphasizes that the Al-Aqsa Mosque / the Noble Sanctuary (i.e., the Temple Mount), with its total area of 144 dunams (i.e., 144,000 sq. meters), is a place of worship for Muslims only, and that any unilateral step by the Israeli occupation constitutes a harming of this historical and legal right."
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, March 13, 2026]
A senior Fatah official, Sabri Saidam, also got in on the action of condemning Israel for keeping would-be Arab visitors to the site safe. Saidam, the Fatah Central Committee deputy secretary, started by attacking US President Trump for "enabling" Israel, before launching into the conspiracy theory about Israel exploiting the security situation:
Fatah Central Committee Deputy Secretary Sabri Saidam: "American President [Trump], who said he wants to be a president of peace, has become a president of war… The American president should also be asked about double standards, how Israel is enabled to do what it does, and at the same time you abandon the promises you made…
A few days before the war, with the start of the [Muslim fasting] month of Ramadan, the number of worshippers was limited and often very limited, and they acted to reduce it more and more (refers to closure of Temple Mount due to security concerns of rocket fire during Operation Roaring Lion; see note below -Ed.). Therefore, they do not want the Palestinian to appear in this presence and splendor, and in this control as they see it, because your presence and your prayer are a confirmation of your faith, your birthright to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and your remaining on your land, and this is alarming… This is the goal, ‘the excuse' as they say is security… Matters at the security level are under control and this excuse is not acceptable at all."
[Official PA TV, March 8, 2026]
The PA libel about Israeli security measures was quickly internationalized and picked up by the Jordanian government. Not only did the Jordanian Foreign Ministry condemn the security measure as an "outrageous violation of international law," but its spokesman further asserted that "Israel has no sovereignty" over Jerusalem in general and the Temple Mount in particular:
Official PA TV newsreader: "The [Jordanian] Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the continued closure of the gates of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque by the occupation (i.e., Israeli) authorities to worshippers, and preventing them from holding religious ceremonies there, especially as they coincide with the blessed [Muslim fasting] month of Ramadan (refers to closure of Temple Mount due to security concerns of rocket fire during Operation Roaring Lion; see note below -Ed.). It considers this an outrageous violation of international law, international humanitarian law, the existing legal and historical status [quo], and the unconditional freedom of access to places of worship. Official Spokesman of the [Jordanian] Ministry [of Foreign Affairs] Ambassador Fouad Al-Majali noted the [Hashemite] Kingdom [of Jordan's] absolute opposition and condemnation of this illegal step, and emphasized that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites."
[Official PA TV News, March 11, 2026]