The Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas warned on Tuesday of a potential ‘religious war’ in the region following Israel’s decision to fund tours of Al-Aqsa Mosque for illegal Jewish settlers.
“The occupation government’s decision to fund Zionist tours of Al-Aqsa Mosque is a dangerous escalation and playing with fire, leading the region towards a religious war for which the occupation and its supporters will bear responsibility,” Hamas said in a statement.
The resistance movement called on Palestinians to “mobilize, rally, and stand in solidarity in defense of our people and our sanctities, in the face of the fascist occupation government’s escalation of all forms of systematic targeting and implementation of its Zionist agendas and plans against the sanctity, status, and identity of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
It also appealed to the masses in the Arab, Islamic world and the free people of the globe to protest against Israel’s crimes and aggressions against the Palestinian people, and their land, and their Islamic and Christian holy places, and “to stand with our people’s just cause for freedom, independence, self-determination, and an end to the occupation,” per the statement.
‘Continual Violations’ – Israeli Government to Fund Jewish Settlers’ Storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque
Hamas stressed that the latest unprecedented move of funding tours in Al-Aqsa Mosque comes in line with previous ones and conforms with the Zionist agenda and plans to “desecrate and Judaize” the holy place.
Hamas stated that Israel and all its supporters namely the United States administration “bear full responsibility” for this dangerous and escalatory step.
“The frantic and accelerated attempts by the Zionist occupation to change the status quo at the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque will not succeed in erasing or obscuring the facts of reality and history—that it is an Islamic endowment that does not accept division. It was and will remain purely Islamic, and we will not accept any (other’s) sovereignty or legitimacy over any part of it, no matter the costs and sacrifices,” the statement read.
Hamas called on the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to assume its responsibility of protecting the Al-Aqsa Mosque and demanded that administrative guardianship of the holy place fulfill its duty and “stand against the violations of the fascist occupation government.”
The movement ended its statement by emphasizing that none of Israel’s crimes, be it the genocide in Gaza its attacks in the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem, or its escalation in Al-Aqsa Mosque will break the will of Palestinians or deter them from continuing to resist Israel’s occupation until “defeated or removed.”
‘Dangerous Declaration’ – Ben-Gvir Says He Would Build Synagogue at Al-Aqsa Mosque
Israel’s Escalatory Steps
The Israeli government plans to finance, for the first time, the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by illegal Jewish settlers in the occupied East Jerusalem, Israeli media has reported.
The office of Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu will allocate 2 million NIS ($545,000) for the project which is expected to be implemented in the coming weeks, according to Israeli public broadcaster KAN, cited by the Anadolu news agency.
KAN said the Heritage Ministry was in contact with the National Security Ministry of extremist Itamar Ben-Gvir to obtain Israeli police permission for the settlers’ funded tours to the Al-Aqsa mosque.
On Monday, the Security Minister caused an outcry after claiming that Jews have the right to pray at the Al-Aqsa and that if he could, he would build a synagogue at the site.
Israel’s Army Radio reported him as saying “The policy allows for prayers on the Temple Mount (Al-Aqsa Mosque). There is equal law for Jews and Muslims. I would build a synagogue there.”
These declarations come amid ongoing incursions into the al-Aqsa compound by settlers, under police protection. Ben-Gvir himself has been involved in the incursions at times.
(PC, Anadolu)
Does the Organization of Islamic Cooperation understand that if “Israel” destroys Al-Aqsa, all mosques (and churches) are targets; nothing will stop it. Does the OIC will quietly hoping – hoping! – that the Zionist regime will not destroy theirs? Türkiye? Saudi Arabia? Russia? Does the OIC will quietly hoping that the USA will stop them? How can you “normalize” with a mosque destroyer; with an Islamic destroyer? Madness!