Jerusalem Affairs: The occupation's violations in Jerusalem aim to change the character of the city and impose sovereignty over it.

The Jerusalem Affairs Department of the Palestine Liberation Organization stated that what is happening in Al-Aqsa Mosque and the city of Jerusalem in recent weeks represents a programmed and studied escalation, and comes as part of the occupation's plans to change the character of the city and impose complete Israeli sovereignty over its holy sites, in a blatant violation of the existing historical and legal status, and of Jerusalem's status as an occupied city under international law.

The department clarified in a press release issued today, Thursday, that the peak of this escalation coincided with the Jewish holiday season, during which approximately 9,820 settlers stormed the courtyards of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of the occupation forces, including ministers and Knesset members, led by the extremist Itamar Ben Gvir, who led official incursions in a clear political message that the occupation government itself adopts the project of 'Judaising Al-Aqsa' and turning it into a showcase for its alleged sovereignty.

It added that these incursions were accompanied by the performance of public Talmudic rituals, dances, and religious chants inside the courtyards, while strict restrictions were imposed on the entry of Muslim worshippers, and several mosque guards and worshippers were arrested in an attempt to intimidate them and empty the sanctuary of its visitors. Additionally, several places of worship in the old neighborhoods of Jerusalem were stormed, and decisions were issued to fine muezzins and impose restrictions on the call to prayer, in a dangerous precedent that affects the essence of freedom of worship and reveals the nature of the systematic religious discrimination practiced by the occupation authorities.

The department emphasized that the behavior of the occupation cannot be understood in isolation from the general political scene, as it intersects on the ground with settlement projects in the vicinity of Jerusalem, and with an extremist Israeli government discourse that seeks to transform the conflict from a political one to a religious one, pushing the holy city to the brink of explosion. It pointed out that the continuation of these policies will plunge the region into a cycle of religious conflict that threatens regional and international security, and undermines any possibility for genuine peace or sustainable stability.

The Jerusalem Affairs Department called on the international community, especially the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the European Union, to take immediate and effective action to put an end to these violations and hold Israel accountable for its systematic breaches of international law, affirming that the protection of Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem is not only a religious issue, but a cornerstone for regional stability.