Abbas’ Advisor on Religious Affairs Denounces Storming of al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli Minister of Agriculture

Ramalah,MINA — President Mahmoud Abbas’ Abbas’ advisor on religious affairs, Mahmoud al-Habbash Sunday denounced the provocative tour carried out by Israeli Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Uri Ariel inside al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem.

Earlier Sunday, Israeli Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Uri Ariel, headed a group of extremist Israeli settlers under police protection in a provocative tour inside the mosque’s yards, Palestiian news agency WAFA reported.

Ariel hence became the first Israeli politician to visit the holy Islamic compound since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu eased restrictions on such visits earlier this month.

Habbash maintained that the continuation of these incursions with the blessing of the Israeli political system, particularly following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ease on restrictions on such visits earlier this month, requires the world countries to uphold their responsibilities and to promptly intervene and take actual steps to put an end to such violations in order to achieve world peace.

Habbash said: “Israel, by its actions, is trying to put an end to the peace process, which he stressed proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that it does not want peace, nor does it exist on its agenda.”

He slammed the Israeli government as ‘ a criminal government’ that practices systematic terrorism against the Palestinian people, and their Islamic and Christian holy sites.

He called on the international community and human rights organizations to take a serious stand against these incursions and attacks, which he stressed provoke Muslims’ feelings worldwide and would only lead to a religious war. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)