Hamas Calls for ‘Days of Anger’ Protests against Israeli Desecrations of Al-Aqsa Mosque
In a statement on Sunday, Hamas spokesman Mohammed Hamadeh urged all Palestinian masses in the occupied al-Quds City and those in those territories occupied by the Tel Aviv regime in 1948 to intensify their presence at al-Aqsa Mosque.
He noted that the measure is intended to demonstrate to the occupying regime that their holy site is not alone and has devoted people protecting it, the Palestinian Information Center reported.
The Hamas official stressed that the daily settler break-ins at the al-Aqsa Mosque are orchestrated and protected by the security and military institutions of the Israeli regime.
He also stressed that the Palestinian resistance would not be tolerant toward any flagrant aggression against al-Quds and the al-Aqsa Mosque and would remain prepared to safeguard the sanctity of the holy site and defend its people in the occupied city, Press TV reported.
The al-Aqsa Mosque compound sits just above the Western Wall plaza and houses both the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque.
The Jewish visitation of al-Aqsa is permitted, but according to an agreement signed between Israel and Jordan — which is the custodian of the holy sites at the compound — after Israel’s occupation of East al-Quds in 1967, non-Muslim worship at the compound is strictly prohibited.
Visits accompanied by worship thus anger the Palestinians, who have repeatedly warned of Israeli attempts to change the status quo of the al-Aqsa compound, the third holiest site in Islam.
Furthermore, the number of Israeli lawmakers who enter the sacred compound has increased since former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided in July 2018 to allow such visits once every three months.
Last month, Palestinians marked the 52nd anniversary of the arson attack on the al-Aqsa Mosque.
On August 21, 1969, the mosque was set on fire by an Australian settler named Dennis Michael Rohan in coordination with Israeli officials and military forces. The fire gutted the southeastern wing of the mosque.
Palestinians want the West Bank as part of a future independent Palestinian state with East al-Quds as its capital.
