The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) warned on Monday that any change in the Esplanade of the Mosques (Jerusalem) would mean a “declaration of war” and denounced the plans of the new Israeli government to allow Jews to pray there.
The spokesman for the PNA Presidency, Nabil Abu Rudeina, denounced “the repeated threats to change the historical ‘status quo’ of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, asking for permission to celebrate Jewish prayers and rituals, to build a synagogue in the backyard and ‘equal rights’ for all religions in Al-Aqsa,” according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA.
Abu Rudeina also recalled the “ascension [de violência] in settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories and daily deaths” and referred in particular to the death of two young men in Kufer Dan in an operation by Israeli forces.
The ANP thus responds to the declared intention of the Israeli far-right leader Itamar Bem Gvir, leader of Otzma Yehudit, to visit the Esplanada das Mesquitas, which could cause an increase in tensions in the area, especially as a result of the threats launched in recent years hours by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and Islamic Jihad.
The adviser also asked Washington to react, indicating that this case will be “the true test” of the position of the United States “in the face of the extremist practices and policies of the Government of Israel” and of the UN resolutions, especially the one calling for an end to settlements and support for a two-state solution.
He also recalled the commitments of US President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
“It is time for these words to come true before it is too late. If they are not stopped by strong pressure from the United States, control of the situation will be lost, ”he warned.
Source: TSF
