Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is seen at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East al-Quds. (File photo by AFP)
The Palestinian resistance movement Islamic Jihad has condemned in the strongest terms Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s intrusion into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East al-Quds.
This is a dangerous step and reflects the Zionist entity’s insistence on its Judaization plans and attempts to extend control over the Palestinian nation’s sanctities, Islamic Jihad said in a statement on Thursday.
“We are mobilizing our people and all Muslims everywhere to respond … While we condemn the silence of Arab and Muslim states on such attacks that target Palestinians’ sanctities, dignity and history, we hold the regimes that have normalized ties with the Zionist entity fully responsible for these incidents.”
The official Palestinian news agency WAFA said Ben-Gvir broke into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound through the Moroccan Gate on Thursday and wandered around the eastern square under the protection of a large number of police officers.
The agency cited local sources as saying the Israeli forces prevented Palestinian worshipers from entering al-Aqsa Mosque.
The Israeli minister said he had gone up to the hilltop compound of the al-Aqsa Mosque to pray for the return of the regime’s prisoners in Gaza “but without a reckless deal.”
Ben-Gvir also said he was persuading Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to give in to international pressure and to continue with the military campaign in the besieged territory.
Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site for Muslims.
Israeli groups have previously called for widespread swarming of the mosque on the occasion of Passover.
Under an agreement signed between Israel and the Jordanian government in the wake of the regime’s occupation of al-Quds in 1967, non-Muslim worship at the holy compound is prohibited. But the ban is a mere phrase and, in action, circumstances have been against Muslims.
Ben-Gvir’s intrusion into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound takes place as the regime keeps its bloody war machine running in the Gaza Strip.
Israel has killed at least 38,800 Palestinians in Gaza since early October. Nearly 90,000 Palestinians are also injured.
The barbarous campaign began after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas launched an unprecedented military operation into the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories near Gaza.
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