Palestinian President Declares Freeze to All Contact with Israel

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Ramallah, MINA – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Friday that he is going to suspend all contacts with Israel due to the controversial new security measures at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque.

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“I declare in the name of the Palestinian leadership suspension of all contacts with the occupying power (Israel) on all levels until Israel cancels all its measures against our Palestinian people, Jerusalem and particularly al-Aqsa Mosque and keep the historic status quo and legal status of al-Aqsa Mosque” Abbas quoted by KUNA as telling his cabinet.

Abbas called the measures “falsely presented as a security measure to take control over Al-Aqsa mosque.”

Speaking following an urgent meeting of the Palestinian leadership to discuss recent developments in Jerusalem Abbas called on Israel to remove metal detectors at the mosque’s gates on Sunday and allow free access for Muslims to their holy site.

Abbas’s speech came after three Palestinians were killed and several hundred wounded Friday in clashes between protesters and Israeli forces over the new security measures at the holy site. (T/RS5/RS1)

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Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)