Governor of Jerusalem (Al Quds) for the Palestinian Authority Adnan Ghaith in his office.
Governor of Al Quds Adnan Ghaith said that there were clear indications that the Israeli occupation and settlers would like to divide Al Aqsa Mosque, stressing that the Palestinian people will spoil these plans with their resistance.
Ghaith told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the Israeli occupation is imposing a temporal division, by allowing extremists to storm into the mosque daily from 7am-10am, providing them with complete protection. He said that temporal division of Al Aqsa refers to allocating specific times every day for Jewish extremists to enter the mosque.
As for the spatial division, he said that there are intentions to carve out parts of the mosque on a permanent basis, making extremists partners in praying in the mosque. He said that there was a public plan from one of the Zionist organizations that began the search for an architect that would take out part of the mosque to separate it from the rest of it.
He said that the occupation have been preventing any renovation in Al Aqsa, with excavations taking place underneath the mosque for decades. He stressed that Al Aqsa Mosque is a central issue for Arabs and Muslims, not just Palestinians. He said that the entire Arab and Muslim nation must assume their responsibility in facing the occupation. He also stressed the right of the Palestinian people to worship without obstacles, especially during the holy month of Ramadan.
Ghaith said that the occupation began arresting Palestinians at Al Aqsa mosque before Ramadan, adding that the occupation had a plan for Al Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan this year, because it coincided with Jewish holidays. He also said that extremist organizations continue to call, through social media, for the storming into Al Aqsa Mosque, highlighting that the mosque has always been a target for Israel.
Ghaith, who was arrested by the occupation forces more than 30 times since he became governor in 2018, describe current events as a battle taking place in all of Al Quds, and at Al Aqsa mosque in particular. He told QNA that Al Quds was completely surrounded. He added that the occupation was seeking to carve the city out of its Palestinian surrounding through a segregation wall. He said the occupation’s authority were preventing the people of the West Bank and Gaza from entering Al Quds, unless they can obtain a permit from the occupation. He said that other actions like connecting settlements with a network of roads have made Al Quds secluded from other Palestinian governorates.
He told QNA that while Muslims worldwide are celebrating Ramadan, citizens of Al Quds are spending on trial or at the cemeteries bidding farewell to their martyrs.
He highlighted that the occupation has a history of violating laws and resolutions, whether from the UN Security Council or other UN bodies like the UNESCO.
The Governor of Jerusalem criticized the international community’s double standards when it comes to the Palestinian people. He highlighted that at a time when the world is standing up to Russia for its war on Ukraine, the Palestinian people have not seen such support despite the ongoing aggression from the Israeli occupation.
Ghaith said that the Palestinian people have always been suffering from aggression, setbacks, and tragedies. He said that entire neighborhoods are now being forcibly removed for a third time, like the Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighborhoods in the occupied Al Quds. Ghaith said that more than 120 Palestinian institutions in the city were close. He stressed that the Palestinian people deserve to live with dignity, wondering why there were no international resolutions to help achieve that goal.
He highlighted that the goal of the occupation from the aggression is to push citizens of Al Quds to leave the city. He added that citizens of Al Quds understand that and that’s why they continue to try and protect their land.
On the UN Security Council session held to discuss developments in Al Quds, the Palestinian official concluded his remarks to QNA by saying they welcome any strong position taken by any institution from the criminal actions of the occupation in the occupied land. He maintained however that the occupation have always turned its back on international institutions, and rely on an American Veto to protect them at the Security Council.
