Palestine condemns Israeli minister’s call to build synagogue in Al-Aqsa Mosque compound

GAZA, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) — Palestine on Monday condemned Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s remarks about building a synagogue inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
Palestinian people will not accept any harm to the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is a red line that cannot be allowed to be tampered with at all, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesperson for the Palestinian presidency, said in a press statement released by the official news agency WAFA.
Abu Rudeineh said that Ben-Gvir attempted to drag the region into “a religious war that will burn everyone,” calling on the international community, especially the U.S. administration, to take immediate action to rein in the right-wing Israeli government and force it to abide by the legal and historical status quo in Jerusalem.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, holds sacred significance for both Muslims and Jews and has long been a flashpoint for deadly violence between the two sides.
Under the status quo, non-Muslim worshippers may visit the site in the heart of the Old City but are not allowed to pray there.
In remarks to Israeli Army Radio earlier on Monday, Ben-Gvir said that “Jews can pray on the Temple Mount,” adding that under his term as the Minister of National Security, there will be no discrimination between Jews and Muslims.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said in a press statement that “there is no change in the status quo in the Temple Mount.” ■