Hamas supporters boot PA mufti from Al-Aqsa Mosque – Fatah blames Israel
Headline: “The condemnations of the assault against the [PA] grand mufti at the Al-Aqsa Mosque continue”
“Fatah Movement Deputy Chairman [and Fatah Central Committee member] Mahmoud Al-Aloul said: ‘What was done to [PA] Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestinian Territories Sheikh Muhammad Hussein is unacceptable’ (refers to Hussein being removed mid-sermon at the Al-Aqsa Mosque by Hamas supporters -Ed.). He noted that what happened is part of an attempt to create secondary conflicts (i.e., internally among Palestinians –Ed.) that will aid the occupation in indirectly achieving its goals, and that these actions are liable to affect the ability to defend the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Al-Aloul added that the occupation is attempting to bring about secondary conflicts, so that the battle will move to within the Palestinian interior. He emphasized that Sheikh Hussein is one of those carrying out Ribat (i.e., religious conflict over land claimed to be Islamic) who is standing firm and defending the Al-Aqsa Mosque, especially considering the fact that he is the one who led the battle of the metal detectors (refers to violent Arab riots in July 2017; see note below -Ed.)…
Fatah Central Committee member and [Fatah] Commissioner of the Southern Branches (i.e., the Gaza Strip) Ahmed Helles said that the assault on Sheikh Muhammad Hussein is shameful and disgusting…
He noted that what the occupation is unable to achieve through its aggression via killing and destruction it achieves via strife and cheap pawns.”
Muhammad Hussein also serves as Deputy Secretary-General and acting Secretary-General of the PLO Popular National Conference of Jerusalem.
The mention of "the battle of the metal detectors" refers to Israeli security measures at the Temple Mount, including metal detectors at the entrances, following an attack there on July 14, 2017, in which 2 Israeli border police officers were murdered by 3 Israeli Arab terrorists. On July 24, 2017, Israel decided to remove the metal detectors and security cameras it had placed at the site. The PA continued to demand that all measures including inspections at the entrances be removed, and Palestinians continued to riot. On July 27, 2017, PA religious leaders declared that all Israeli measures had been removed.