Hamas, PFLP decry decision to limit Muslims in al-Aqsa during Ramadan

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
19 Feb 2024 03:21
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Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine call on the Palestinian people to reject the Israeli decision and confront it.

Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir smile before Netanyahu's statement in the Knesset, on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. (AP Photo)

The Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas affirmed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's endorsement of the proposal of his Police Minister Itamar Ben Gvir to restrict the entry of Muslim worshippers from the occupied territories in 1948 to al-Aqsa Mosque during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan is "a further escalation of criminality."

Hamas underlined that restricting entry to al-Aqsa Mosque is a decision that violates the freedom of worship and reveals the Israeli enemy's intention to escalate its aggression on the Mosque during Ramadan.

The movement also called on the Palestinian people in the occupied territories in 1948, al-Quds, and the West Bank to reject the Israeli decision, mobilize, and station in the al-Aqsa Mosque.

On its part, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) also considered that the Israeli decision is part of a genocidal war, stressing that the only way to confront it is through a comprehensive Intifada (uprising).

Earlier on Sunday, unconfirmed reports by the Israeli Channel 13 mentioned that Netanyahu has yielded to the demands of Ben-Gvir to limit the access of worshippers from the occupied territories in 1948 to al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan.

According to reports, the Shin Bet has warned that such a measure will undoubtedly exacerbate tensions, especially any move that applies to Palestinians from '48 occupied territories and those who have a "permanent residence", knowing that the Israeli occupation police favor such a move.

The channel reported that Security Minister Yoav Gallant and War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz opposed Netanyahu's decision, believing it would lead to mistakes due to the circumventing of the security establishment.

Ramadan is set to commence in early March this year, and the holy month is synonymous with several occasions that Muslims celebrate. Recently, the occupation has severely restricted the entry of Palestinians to one of the holiest sites, al-Aqsa Mosque, in occupied al-Quds. The measure comes hand in hand with increased systematic oppression of Palestinians in the occupied territory, including wide-scale detention campaigns and assassinations against Palestinians in the West Bank.

Israeli military and intelligence authorities have expressed concern regarding the upcoming month, recommending that concerned authorities ease measures against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and al-Quds.

Moving into March, the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip would have neared 150 days, exceeding five months of confrontations, siege, and all-out ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people. Israeli authorities are aware of the explosive situation that might further escalate in Ramadan if the war on the Gaza Strip is not stopped. On the other hand, Palestinian Resistance factions will look to activate other fronts to impose their demands of a ceasefire, prisoner exchange, and a massive rebuilding project of the Strip.

In May 2021, Israeli restrictions paired with assaults against Palestinians in al-Quds and worshippers in al-Aqsa Mosque led to daily confrontations between worshippers and Israeli occupation forces in the religious site's courtyards. In juxtaposition with rocket attacks launched by the Palestinian Resistance from the Gaza Strip, the scene highlighted a strong scene of unity between the two separated Palestinian territories.

Such wide-scale actions in the West Bank and al-Quds have constituted a fear that haunts Israeli officials, as the month of Ramadan is believed to trigger greater mobilization among Palestinians.