Zimpapers Logo

Farirai Machivenyika

Senior Reporter

Palestine has strongly condemned Israel’s continued provocations and aggression against both worshippers and the sanctity of holy sites in Jerusalem.

In a statement yesterday, Palestinian Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Tamer Almassri, said: “Israeli occupying forces’ aggression against worshippers during the holiest month of the year, is in grave violation of historic, legal, and political status quo of Jerusalem.

“The State of Palestine also condemns the unlawful detention of worshippers followed by the forced invasion of Jewish settlers into Al-Haram Al-Sharif under the protection of Israeli occupying forces. Israel, the occupying power, is not committed, as it falsely claims, to either bring about calm in Jerusalem or to guarantee the freedom of religion and worship for all.”

Ambassador Almassri said Israel was wilfully and deliberately provoking Muslim worshippers during the holy month of Ramadan and was imposing additional punitive restrictions against Palestinians.

“The State of Palestine holds Israel fully responsible for dangerous repercussions of its violations on regional and international peace and security.

“Al-Haram Al-Sharif is place of Muslim worship, protected and preserved by the historic and internationally recognised status quo and under sole authority of the Islamic Waqf and the custodianship of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,.

He said Israel had no rightful claim or sovereignty over any part of Jerusalem, including its holy sites, adding worshippers have the right to pray in and around Al-Haram Al-Sharif, whenever and in accordance with Islamic practices.

Israel’s militarisation and attempts to upend hundreds of years of Islamic traditions is clearly aimed at spatial and temporal division of Al-Haram Al-Sharif and to impose its control,” Ambassador Almassri said.

“Israel’s criminalisation of Ramadan celebrations and social and cultural assemblies in Jerusalem is an attack on Palestinian polity and existence. We call on the international community to ensure that Israel, the occupying Powers, adheres to its obligations under international law.

“We also call on international community to reaffirm its rejection of and non-recognition of any Israeli claims of sovereignty over any part of Palestine, including in Jerusalem, and over its holy sites.”