OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (Palestine Foundation Information Center), Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, head of the Higher Islamic Council in Jerusalem, has accused the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) of exploiting Jewish holidays and events to escalate its violations and enforce new realities on the ground at the Aqsa Mosque compound.
“In recent years, the Israeli occupation has consistently used its special occasions to stage massive settler break-ins at the Aqsa Mosque, led by Israeli ministers, officials, and Knesset members, in an effort to confer political legitimacy on such violations,” Sheikh Sabri said on Wednesday.
Sheikh Sabri warned of mounting dangers facing the Aqsa Mosque as a result of Israel’s accelerating policies that aim to change the existing historical and legal status quo at the Islamic holy site.
“These break-ins, regardless of the number of participants or the level of official support they receive, will not grant the occupation any right to the Aqsa Mosque. Its presence there remains an act of occupation and aggression that violates international law and the Palestinian people’s rights,” Sheikh Sabri underlined.
He warned that ongoing Israeli excavations beneath and around the Aqsa Mosque, which have exposed parts of its foundations, are aimed at creating conditions where sections of the holy site might collapse or sustain serious damage under the guise of a natural occurrence, paving the way for its demolition.
