In a statement issued from Istanbul, the Palestinian Scholars Council warned that the Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is conducting excavations and tunneling beneath the Al‑Aqsa Mosque complex. The council described the activity as a new phase in a broader effort to impose Zionist sovereignty over the mosque and its surroundings.
The council emphasized that Al‑Aqsa, including its courtyards, minarets, gates, and the underground tunnels, remains an entirely Islamic mosque. It argued that the excavations, along with related rituals and political declarations, do not alter the mosque’s Islamic identity.
According to the council, the current actions go beyond a provocative visit and represent a gradual attempt to transform the Zionist narrative into reality, thereby imposing control over the site. The council cautioned that the Israeli occupation’s strategy is to normalize the desecration and “Hebrewization” of the holy place until it becomes a routine news item.
The council criticized countries that are increasing diplomatic ties with Israel while the Al‑Aqsa Mosque is being desecrated and Jerusalem is being “Hebrewized.” It described such actions as a betrayal of the sanctity of the site and a message that the occupier’s aggression will not prevent further political recognition and honors.
It warned against describing the excavations and tunnels as archaeological, tourist, or religious activities, insisting that they are part of a plan to seize the place and impose the occupier’s narrative.
The council called on Arab and Islamic governments, international institutions, and the global community to prevent the establishment of the occupier’s narrative. It urged the protection of the existing historical and legal status, support for the custodial institutions of the holy site, and the activation of legal and diplomatic channels.
Regarding an operation near Ramallah, the council praised the action as a response to aggression against holy sites and called for further “jihadist” operations, warning that continued aggression against the Palestinian people and the nation’s sanctities could lead to further escalation.
The council urged scholars, mosques, ministries of endowments, and clerics to keep Al‑Aqsa at the forefront of their discourse. It warned against normalizing the images of intrusion and “Hebrewization,” while encouraging the residents of Jerusalem and the custodians of the site to maintain their presence, which it said helps preserve the mosque’s Islamic identity.
It concluded that the situation demands vigilance commensurate with the scale of the project, reaffirming that Al‑Aqsa remains the Qibla for Muslims and a trust of the nation.
Article source: assabeel.net | Image credit: assabeel.net