Israeli Settlers’ Mosque Arsons ‘Systematic Crime’: Palestine’s Supreme Fatwa Council
The council issued a statement on Thursday after two mosques were burned in Nablus and Tulkarm, the occupied West Bank.
Racist slogans were also written on the walls of the two mosques, the council said in a statement.
“Burning mosques is a systematic crime targeting houses of worship and Islamic holy sites,” it said.
“Such attacks come as part of Israel’s policy of abuse and repression and violations against religious rituals across the Palestinian territories,” it added.
“The attacks are part of dangerous and systematic occupation policies aimed at targeting the Palestinian presence and religious rights,” the council said.
“Israeli crimes are horrific and have reached a terrible level of brutality, ugliness and disregard for lives and property,” it added.
“The Israeli army and police are providing full protection to occupiers who spread corruption on the land, provoking the feelings of all Muslims,” the council said.
The council also denounced Israel’s continued and increasing incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque, saying Israeli authorities have imposed strict measures at the mosque’s gates and around the Old City of occupied al-Quds, deployed heavily across its courtyards and prevented worshippers from entering.
At the same time, Israeli authorities allow extremist occupiers to intensify incursions into Al-Aqsa’s courtyards and perform Talmudic rituals inside the mosque, the council said.
“These violations are part of systematic plans to impose the temporal and spatial division of Al-Aqsa Mosque as a fait accompli,” it said.
Read More:
The council called this “a dangerous assault on the historical and legal status quo” at the mosque, saying it reflects “the level of racism of the occupier against our people and their holy sites.”
Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world's third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews refer to the area as the Temple Mount, claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.
Earlier Sunday, Israeli occupiers set fire to two mosques in separate attacks across the occupied West Bank, targeting one in the village of Kur, south of Tulkarem, and another under construction in the town of Qusra, south of Nablus, according to Palestinian officials.
The official Palestinian news agency Wafa said Israeli occupiers stormed the village of Kur and set fire to the mosque, causing partial damage to the building and its interior.
On Friday, Israeli occupiers, backed by the army, attacked the Palestinian town of Tell near Nablus, killing four Palestinians. Two Israelis were also killed in a shooting during the confrontation, according to Palestinian and Israeli sources.
Since October 2023, Israeli forces and occupiers have killed at least 1,182 Palestinians in the West Bank, injured thousands and detained around 24,000, according to official Palestinian figures.
Source: Anadolu Agency
