Islamic Jihad, Hamas threaten Israel after Jews ascend Temple Mount

August 11, 2019 — The Jerusalem Post reports: “Islamic Jihad and Hamas threatened increased violence after 1,729 Jewish worshipers ascended the Temple Mount Sunday, according to police numbers cited by the Internal Security Ministry. Earlier in the day, Israel Police had closed the mount and short but violent protests erupted.

Four officers were injured, as well several Muslim and Jewish worshipers in the event.

Palestinians said 40 Muslim worshipers were injured, including PLO Executive Committee member Adnan Husseini, who previously served as Palestinian Authority minister for Jerusalem affairs, and Abdel Azim Salhab, chairman of the Wakf Council in east Jerusalem.

‘Israel is trying to impose a new reality in the al-Aqsa mosque and there will be repercussions for it,’ Islamic Jihad official Fuad a-Razm said.

‘We are tracking Israel’s steps,’ said Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. ‘This is a violation of the rights of millions of Muslims.’

Police early morning announced that the Temple Mount would be closed to Jews, despite Sunday being the Jewish fast day of Tisha Be’av, which commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem. Police first blamed the prime minister, who denied he was involved…”  (In Genesis 22:1-14 God commanded Abraham to bring his son Isaac to the land of Moriah and offer him as a sacrifice there.  As he was about to complete the sacrifice, God stopped him and provided a ram as a substitutionary sacrifice.  In I Chronicles 21:18 – 26, King David purchased this mount so he could build an altar to offer a sacrifice when he confessed his sin.  This was the location where the angel of the Lord was commanded to stop the destruction of Jerusalem [I Chronicles 21:15].  In II Chronicles 3:1, King Solomon built the First Temple on Mount Moriah, this was started in 966 BC.  This Temple stood until 586 BC when it was destroyed by the Babylonians.  The Second Temple was built in 516 BC and enlarged by Herod the Great in 12 BC.  It stood until it was destroyed by the Romans in AD 70.  The Dome of the Rock was built in AD 692, and the Al Aqsa Mosque was not built until AD 705.  It is obvious who has the rightful claim to the Temple Mount.  See the next 6 reports.) 

Jordan: Israel violating ‘sanctity of Al-Aqsa’

August 12, 2019 — Israel National News reports: “Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Sunday condemned Israel following the violent clashes on the Temple Mount between Muslim worshipers and police officers.

‘We condemn Israel’s violations of sanctity of Al Aqsa, especially on this holy day. Its attempts to change the status quo in occupied Jerusalem & its holy sites will only lead to more violence, threatening security of all. Int’l community cannot remain silent on these violations,’ he tweeted.

The comments came hours after hundreds of Muslim worshipers rioted on the Temple Mount in an attempt to prevent Jews from visiting the holy site on Tisha B’Av, the anniversary of the destruction of the first and second Holy Temple.

The rioters chanted nationalist slogans and clashed with police. Several rioters were injured, Arab media reported…”

Hamas spokesman: Al-Aqsa is under attack

August 21, 2019 — Israel National News reports: “Hamas spokesman Abdel Latif al-Qanoa said on Tuesday that ‘the Al-Aqsa Mosque is a red line and it cannot be attacked or changed.’

In an interview with the Felesteen Al-Yawm website, which is affiliated with the Islamic Jihad, Qanoa said on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the arson attack on the Al-Aqsa Mosque that the city of Al-Quds and the Al-Aqsa Mosque are under attack meant to change their characteristics since, he claimed, Israel knows that the holy city is the heart of the conflict with the ‘Palestinian people’.

Qanoa added that Hamas has announced a general mobilization for this Friday in order to convey a message about the importance of the Al-Aqsa Mosque…”

Jordan urges pressure on Israel over Al-Aqsa

August 19, 2019 — Israel National News reports: “Jordan’s Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi, on Sunday urged the international community to pressure Israel to stop its ‘violations’ against the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, Xinhua reported.

The appeal by Safadi was made during a meeting he held with EU ambassadors to Jordan to discuss Israel’s actions in Jerusalem.

Safadi warned against the grave consequences of Israeli unilateral steps intended to change the historical and legal status of Jerusalem, according to a Foreign Ministry statement obtained by Xinhua.

‘Israel must respect the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem with its Muslim and Christian holy sites, and stop breaching its obligations as an occupying power,’ he was quoted as having said…”

Iranian FM calls for Muslim unity following Temple Mount riots

August 12, 2019 — Israel National News reports: “Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Sunday commented on the riots which broke out on the Temple Mount when Muslim worshipers clashed with police officers in an attempt to prevent Jews from visiting the holy site on Tisha B’Av, the anniversary of the destruction of the first and second Holy Temple.

Zarif posted a photo from the riots on Twitter and wrote, ‘The crime shown in this photo was but one perpetrated on Al-AQSA this morning—on our holy day.’

‘The same terrorists are hoping to impose #HumiliationoftheCentury on Palestinians. We Muslims have power to end this tyranny, but only if we unite,’ he added, in what appeared to be a reference to the US administration’s peace plan for Israel and the Palestinian Authority, which has come to be known as the ‘Deal of the Century’…”

Palestinian leaders express outrage at Jewish calls to visit Temple Mount

August 9, 2019 — The Jerusalem Post reports: “The London-based Saudi daily Asharq Al-Awsat reported that the ‘extremist Jewish ‘Union of Temple Organizations’ called for Jews to storm the Aqsa Mosque on the occasion of Tisha Be’Av, which runs into the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha this year.

The report, published Wednesday, said that Jews were being called to ‘storm the mosque.’ There were no Israeli sources confirming such a report.

The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Sheikh Muhammad Hussein demanded that the site be protected and said that he would hold the Israeli government responsible for any escalation.

A member of the Fatah Central Committee, Jamal Muheisen, considered the calls a ‘challenge to the people’s will and to Jordan,’ according to the daily.

Muheisen also claimed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the calls to storm the mosque, in an effort to promote himself as more extremist in order to gain votes from the religious sector…”

Waqf calls on Muslims to pray in Al Aqsa on Tisha Be’Av

August 9, 2019 — The Jerusalem Post reports: “The Waqf called up to Muslims to pray in the Mosques on the Temple Mount during the Jewish holiday of Tisha Be’ Av on Sunday, to prevent Jews from going up there to pray, the Army Radio reported on Friday.

The Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, a branch of the Jordanian Ministry of Sacred Properties, is the Muslim authority managing the Islamic holy sites on the Temple Mount, including the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock.

According to the Army Radio, a Waqf document circulating in Arab media invited all Muslims living in the Jerusalem area to go pray in the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock instead of in their local mosque, to prevent Jews from going up during the holiday.

The site, referred to in Hebrew as Har Habayt and in Arabic as Haram esh-Sharif, is considered holy by both religions. However, an agreement was reached after Israel conquered the Old City in 1967, allowing Jordan to maintain civil administration over the area and restricting Jewish access to it: Jews and non-Muslims are allowed to visit the Temple Mount in limited hours and days, but they are not allowed to pray.

In the past years, a movement calling for the right of Jews to pray on the Temple Mount has become more vocal and attempts to pray there in spite of the prohibition have been more frequent…”