Commission warns of new steps to divide Al-Aqsa

The Islamic-Christian Commission for the support of Jerusalem and the holy sites warned, on Wednesday, of the Israeli Knesset’s decision to form a subcommittee to examine the implementation of the Israeli government’s decision to allow Jewish settlers to visit Al-Aqsa Mosque for three and a half hours every day, especially in the Easter holidays.

The Commission noted that “this step comes in the context of the ongoing Israeli scheme for splitting Al-Aqsa Mosque between Muslims and Jews, with a Jewish control over it, warning of Israel’s intention to impose fait accompli on Al-Aqsa Mosque along the lines of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, which is considered a beginning to achieve the Jewish saying about the alleged temple on the ruins of the mosque.”

For his part, Secretary General of the Commission, Dr Hanna Issa, confirmed that “the continuation of the Israeli authority’s violations of the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque requires the international community, represented by the General Assembly and the Security Council, to put pressure on the occupation authorities in order to stop its violations against places of worship and force it to comply with the provisions of international humanitarian law.

“Particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention for the protection of civilians in times of war and under occupation, and human rights charters and resolutions of international legitimacy for the Palestinian issue, first, and that the occupation state is not given a free hand to use whatever force, or procedures or policies in its management of the occupied territories.”

Issa went on to explain, “Israel must take into account the life and interests of the civilian population and the protection of private and public properties and not to change the legal status of those territories, second.”

The Commission also confirmed the Israeli scheme for the Judaisation of the holy mosque in a number of ways; on top of which comes the settlers and extremists’ daily raids while performing Talmudic prayers and dances. In addition to the ongoing excavation and building a Talmudic synagogue, gardens and museums in the vicinity of the mosque, there are guided tours that tell stories about the alleged temple and the Jewish right to Al-Aqsa Mosque.