Palestine and Jordan have condemned statements by Israeli Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan, in which he called for allowing Jews to freely perform their prayers inside Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Palestine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement warning against the continued calls to target Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli extremist Jewish and settlement organizations.
“US President Donald Trump and his team’s positions, declarations, and decisions that are fully biased to the ruling right-wing party in Israel constitute an umbrella for these colonial calls and encourage Israeli officials to carry on in their implementations of plans to Judaize Al-Aqsa and its courtyards,” the statement read.
It noted that these acts lead to changing the nature of the conflict from political to religious and to imposing the terms and references of a religious solution to it.
This solution, it explained, allows one religion to take control over the holy sites as an alternative to international peace references.
The Aqsa Mosque is run by Jordanian employees of the Kingdom’s Department of Islamic Waqf, but Israel imposes visits by Jews.
Jordan's Minister of Awqaf, Islamic Affairs, and Holy Places Dr. Abdul Nasser Abu al-Basal issued a statement in which he affirmed his country’s absolute rejection of the statements made by Erdan and some other officials regarding Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Abu al-Basal considered Erdan’s statements provocative and irresponsible towards the Muslims’ feelings all over the world, warning against dragging the region into religious conflicts that won’t end.
The Jordanian Minister also stressed that the department is witnessing the aggression of the occupying power against Aqsa Mosque, which has become like military barracks.
He noted that the occupation authority’s attempts to change the existing historical situation and impose the division of time and space in the Mosque is an attack on the Muslims’ time and place.
Abu al-Basal said the occupation forces will not be able to change the status quo, adding that “Muslims are always aware that Al-Aqsa Mosque is their holy right.”
