Palestine accuses Israel of planning to turn Al-Aqsa Mosque into synagogue
Addressing a Palestinian event on the historical status of Al-Aqsa Mosque in the West Bank city of Al-Bireh, Shtayyeh said 55 years of Israeli excavations in Jerusalem failed to find any trace of a Jewish temple. The premier slammed Israel for planning to turn the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque complex into a synagogue.
- World
- Anadolu Agency
- Published Date: 05:02 | 08 June 2022
- Modified Date: 05:45 | 08 June 2022
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh has accused Israel of seeking to turn the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem into a Jewish synagogue.
Addressing a Palestinian event on the historical status of Al-Aqsa Mosque in the West Bank city of Al-Bireh, Shtayyeh said 55 years of Israeli excavations in Jerusalem failed to find any trace of a Jewish temple.
He said Palestinians seek to preserve the status quo in Jerusalem that prevailed since the Ottoman rule of Palestine.
The Palestinian premier went on to thank "all those who helped the Palestinians," especially Jordan and Türkiye for their "collective responsibility" towards Jerusalem.
Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world's third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area the "Temple Mount," claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognized by the international community.
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