RAMALLAH, Feb 19 (NNN-WAFA) – The Palestinian presidency strongly condemned the Israeli closure of the Golden Gate (Bab al-Rahmeh) with locks and chains, warning against Israeli plans aimed at imposing the temporal and spatial division of the mosque.
The presidency in a statement held the Israeli occupation authorities fully responsible for the complete deterioration and tension, warning it against its continued repressive and arbitrary policies which will only lead to repercussions and fuel the feelings of the Palestinian people.
The presidency affirmed that it is following up on the current Israeli measures inside al-Aqsa mosque compound, and is making contacts in order to pressure Israel, the occupying power, to curb its ongoing aggression against the mosque, worshippers, and to demand the preservation of the mosque’s status quo of 1967.
Israeli police broke into Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem’s Old City after closing all gates leading to it and arrested individuals inside the compound.
Palestinians removed the metal gates and chains the police had on Sunday placed at the stairs leading to the building adjacent to the closed Golden Gate, also known as Bab al-Rahmeh, considered a property of Al-Aqsa Mosque, following calls for holding the Muslim prayers at the building in defiance of the Israeli police decision.
Immediately after this, police closed all gates leading to the Muslim holy compound as its forces carried out arrests among those present inside it while forcing Muslim worshippers to leave it.
The Islamic Waqf, which is in charge of Al-Aqsa Mosque and Muslim property in the occupied city, earlier issued a statement condemning the Israeli police act toward the Golden Gate building, which it stressed is an important part of Al-Aqsa compound, also known as al-Haram al-Sharif, or noble sanctuary, considered the third holiest site in Islam.
It said the Israeli police action was part of a series of steps that violated the sanctity of the Muslim holy place and called on Israel to end its provocations at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The ministry’s official spokesman, Sufian al-Qudah, demanded that Israel, as the occupying power, “act in accordance with international law and immediately reopen the gates, respect the sanctity of the holy place, not hamper the entry of worshipers, withdraw security forces at the holy compound and respect the feelings of Muslims,” according to Jordan news agency, Petra.
Meanwhile in AMMAN, the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned “in the strongest possible terms” the Israeli police closure of al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem and the assaults on worshipers.
The spokesperson slammed the Israeli measures at al-Aqsa as “a flagrant violation of the historical and legal status quo and Israel’s obligations under the international law and the international humanitarian law, as the occupying power, and held it fully responsible for the safety of the mosque.”
He stressed that the Foreign Ministry is “following up on this dangerous development through various channels to secure the reopening of the gates and the restoration of calm to the Haram al-Sharif.”
He said the ministry had lodged a protest with the Israeli Foreign Ministry, in which it voiced the government’s condemnation of the provocative Israeli actions against Al-Haram Al-Sharif, and demanded their immediate cessation, said Petra. — NNN-WAFA
