Hamas warn settler calls to demolish Dome of the Rock ‘playing with fire’

Hamas yesterday warned that settler calls to demolish the Dome of the Rock “is playing with fire.”

“Zionist ‘Lahava’ Organisation’s call for colonial settlers to demolish the Dome of the Rock and build their alleged temple on anniversary of occupying East Jerusalem is a direct provocation of the Palestinian people and the Islamic Ummah,” a statement said.

Israeli occupation authorities issued a final decision to allow the Israeli flag march, organised by right-wing extremists, to pass through Damascus Gate in occupied East Jerusalem to commemorate the day the eastern part of the holy city was occupied. The march is due to be held on 29 May.

The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (Kan) said the flag march was approved following a security assessment by Public Security Minister, Omer Bar-Lev, and Police Commissioner, Kobi Shabtai.

“We hold the occupation fully responsible for the repercussions of the dangerous escalation against our identity, values and sanctities,” Hamas said.

“Hamas calls on the Palestinian masses to mobilise and gather in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque to confront the occupation’s dangerous Judaisation schemes.”

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“We also call on our Ummah, leaders, organisations and people to shoulder their historic responsibilities to protect Al-Aqsa Mosque, and on the international community with its institutions and organisations to criminalise and prevent these encroachments that will have severe repercussions on the entire region.”

During last year’s annual flag march, Israeli far-right supremacists shared selfies posing with guns and messages such as “Tonight we are not Jews, we are Nazis.” A report by Amnesty International on the conduct of Israeli police during May and June’s crackdown on Palestinians found that it had failed to protect Palestinians from Jewish supremacists who had organised attacks and publicised their plans in advance.

Occupation authorities cancelled a planned flag March outside Jerusalem’s Old City organised by right-wing Israeli extremists and which was due to be held in April.

The march was announced days after Al-Aqsa Mosque was stormed by Israeli occupation forces who attacked Palestinian worshippers. At least 152 Palestinians were wounded when Israeli troops entered the mosque and fired at Palestinians.