Former Mufti of Jerusalem: Kerry working to support Israeli presence at Al-Aqsa

The US is re-enforcing Israel’s existence at Al-Aqsa Mosque, Felesteen newspaper reported the mosque’s Imam Sheikh Ekrima Sabri as saying yesterday.

Discussing Israel’s placing of cameras around the mosque’s courtyards, Sabri said: “This is an agreement on the Israeli partnership in the administration of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the other Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem.”

He described the move as a “dangerous issue”, stressing that whoever wants calm in the Palestinian territories must get rid of the reason for tension; “the continuous Israeli desecration of Al-Aqsa Mosque.”

The Israeli police’s presence at the doors of Al-Aqsa and the limitations on worshippers entering the mosque are the cause of the tensions, he explained.

“[Israeli prime minister] Netanyahu is not the master of the Islamic holy sites for him to order to allow Muslims to pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque and the non-Muslims visit it,” Sabri continued.

He reiterated that Kerry visited the region just to “rescue” Netanyahu as he has fallen in to a trap after Palestinian youths began uprising against the occupation’s practices.

“We are worried about the consequences [of Kerry’s visit] … Kerry wants to save Netanyahu and his government,” Sabri warned.