Palestinian Presidency warns against changing the historical status of Al-Aqsa and condemns restricting worshippers' access

The Palestinian Presidency issued a strongly worded statement condemning the occupation authorities' closure of the gates of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and preventing worshippers from accessing it, coinciding with the days of the blessed month of Ramadan. The Presidency considered these steps a dangerous escalation aimed at undermining the existing historical and legal status in the Noble Sanctuary and the holy sites in occupied Jerusalem.

In its statement, the Presidency warned against the occupation's attempts to exploit the state of tension and escalation in the region as a cover to implement plans to restrict religious sites, both Islamic and Christian. It affirmed that these practices constitute a blatant violation of international conventions that guarantee freedom of worship, emphasizing the need to stop all provocations targeting worshippers inside the mosque's courtyards.

The Presidency also demanded the immediate and unconditional opening of all Al-Aqsa Mosque gates to ensure the flow of worshippers, reiterating its affirmation that the Noble Sanctuary, with its full area of 144 dunams, is an exclusive right for Muslims. It stressed the importance of international intervention to protect the religious identity of Jerusalem and to stop any Israeli attempts aimed at changing the existing reality in the holy city.

The blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, with its full area of 144 dunams, is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims.