Incursions into Al-Aqsa are establishing a religious conflict

The Palestinian government in Ramallah has described the latest incursions by dozens of Jewish settlers into Al-Aqsa Mosque as “another example of extremism and organised state terrorism”. The settlers were accompanied during the incursion by an Israeli television crew and protected by police officers as the conflict takes an increasingly religious turn.

In a media statement the Ministry of Information in Ramallah said that making a film about the so-called “Third Temple” in the courtyard of the Noble Sanctuary of Al-Aqsa, and under the protection of the Israeli police, reflects “a mentality of extremism, deep hatred and open terrorism”.

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The ministry demanded that the international community should take action and not keep silent about Israel’s crimes against the Palestinian people and religious sites in occupied Jerusalem. “Silence from the rest of the world gives Israel a green light to carry on with their desecration of Muslim and Christian sites,” said the ministry.

Israeli actions include daily aggression, Judaisation policies and ethnic cleansing, and the prevention of Palestinians from praying in mosques and churches. Extremist groups and illegal settlers are, meanwhile, given a free hand by Israeli soldiers in the occupied Holy City.