Palestinian National Council: Israel’s goal is to “empty [Jerusalem] of its Palestinian residents until it is Judaized,” Jew set fire to Al-Aqsa Mosque in 1969, Mosque must be “defended”

Headline: “On the 50th anniversary of its arson – national activists call on the Arabs…”
“National figures and forces yesterday [Aug. 20, 2019] called on the Arab world and the Islamic world to provide the residents of Jerusalem with the basics for resolve, and to prevent the occupation’s plan to divide the Al-Aqsa Mosque according to times and areas (see note below –Ed.)…
The Palestinian National Council (i.e., the PLO legislative body) said on the 50th anniversary of the Al-Aqsa Mosque arson that Jerusalem… is suffering until now from systematic Israeli aggression, whose goal is to empty it of its Palestinian residents until it is Judaized.
The Palestinian National Council demanded that the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the parliaments [of OIC member states], and all of its institutions – which were established following the Al-Aqsa Mosque arson in 1969 [ignited] by a Jew named Michael Denis Rohan (sic., Rohan was an Australian Christian; see note below) –defend the Al-Aqsa Mosque…
Jerusalem District Governor Adnan Ghaith called to declare the occupied capital a disaster-stricken city as a result of the arbitrary Israeli steps against the city, its holy sites, and its residents. He held Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responsible for exploding the situation in the holy city [of Jerusalem] and in the entire Palestinian, Arab, and Islamic arena for his electoral goals.”

“Division according to areas and times” refers to a submission of a “private bill” by Israeli MP Uri Ariel in March 2003. The bill suggested ensuring freedom of religious worship by allowing both Jews and Muslims to pray on the Temple Mount - what the Palestinians call the Al-Aqsa Mosque plaza. The bill sought to designate separate prayer times and areas of the site for Muslims and Jews. The bill never progressed past the initial legislatory stage. While there was additional discussion on the subject in 2012, no legislation was ever passed. In response to the incessant PA claims that the “division according to areas and times” of the Temple Mount is an operative Israeli plan, former Israeli PM Netanyahu stated on many occasions that the Israeli government has no intention of ‎changing the so-called status quo on the Temple Mount, which de facto is interpreted to mean Jews are only allowed to enter the Temple Mount, but not to conduct individual or communal prayers there. In July 2021, Israeli PM Naftali Bennett said Muslims and Jews have freedom of worship at the Temple Mount, which was understood by many as a hint to changing the status quo at the site, but the following day his office backtracked and said he misspoke and did not mean Jews would have freedom of worship, but rather would have freedom to visit. “There is no change in the status quo,” a statement from PM Bennett’s office confirmed.y type of worship.

Michael Rohan - Australian Christian with a mental health disorder who set fire to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in 1969. For years, the Palestinian Authority has falsely accused Israel of setting the fire.