Fatah spokesman: “We will defend our Al-Aqsa Mosque and our holy sites… whatever the cost may be’"

Headline: "Fatah and the [PA] Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the occupation's invasion of the Al-Aqsa Mosque"

"The Fatah Movement emphasized that the Israeli occupation forces' invasion of the Al-Aqsa Mosque yesterday, Friday [Jan. 17, 2020], in the early morning is an obvious violation of the Islamic holy sites, under clear American cover and with no deterrent. [Fatah] Movement Spokesman Iyad Nasrnoted yesterday, Friday, that this is a real war and ethnic cleansing against our Palestinian people, its land, and its holy sites. However, [the war] will not succeed in stealing from our people its will to remain and its standing firm on its land. He added: 'We will defend our Al-Aqsa Mosque and our holy sites, and we will not allow them to violate them and pass the occupation's plots that strive to divide the holy city [of Jerusalem] by areas, and times (referring to a proposed Israeli law that would allow both Jews and Muslims to pray at the Temple Mount. The law does not refer to any other part of Jerusalem –Ed.),whatever the cost may be.’"

Break-in/Invasion/attack of Al-Aqsa Mosque - The PA and its leaders misrepresent all of the Temple Mount as an integral part of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Therefore, they vilify any presence of Jews on the mount as an "invasion." It should be noted that Jews who visit the Temple Mount only enter some sections of the open areas, and do not enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque or the Dome of the Rock. Israeli police ban Jewish prayer at the Temple Mount because of threats of violence by Palestinians.

“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.