PA Foreign Ministry warns of plans to divide the Al-Aqsa Mosque, “Judaization” projects in Jerusalem, aided by US
Headline: “The [PA Ministry of] Foreign Affairs warns against the occupation imposing a physical division of the Al-Aqsa Mosque”
“The [PA] Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates warned against the ruling right-wing in Israel committing additional violations and crimes against the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and imposing a physical division (see note below –Ed.) in light of the elections.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release today (Sunday) [Aug. 18, 2019] that the ruling right-wing in Israel led by [Israeli Prime Minister] Benjamin Netanyahu is continuing to carry out hundreds of Judaizing projects to change the status quo in Jerusalem, its neighborhoods, its surroundings, its Old City, and its holy sites, and first among them the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.
[The ministry] added: ‘This Judaization campaign is escalating due to unprecedented and limitless American support, and due to American decisions that are completely biased in favor of the occupation and its narrative, especially [US] President [Donald] Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of the occupation state and transfer his state’s embassy to it (see note below –Ed.), and the open participation on the ground by Trump’s pro-Zionist team in a number of Judaization and settlement activities in Jerusalem (apparently refers to the inauguration of the Pilgrimage Road; see note below –Ed.).’ …
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that these occupation blows come together with an unprecedented and planned escalation to establish a division by times at the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque until it is physically divided – if not completely destroyed.”
“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.
US recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel - On Dec. 6, 2017, US President Donald Trump formally recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Trump added that the final borders of Jerusalem will be determined during negotiations. The US embassy was transferred from Tel Aviv and opened in Jerusalem on May 14, 2018, the anniversary of Israel's declaration of independence in 1948 according to the Gregorian calendar.
Pilgrimage Road – US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, US Envoy Jason Greenblatt, and US Senator Lindsey Graham took part in the inauguration ceremony of the Pilgrimage Road underground archaeological site, located south of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, on June 30, 2019. The excavated road was used by Jewish pilgrims visiting the Second Temple around the first century CE, and the Arab neighborhood of Silwan has since been built above it.