Abbas decries Israel’s ‘attack’ on al-Aqsa mosque
(Worthy News) – The Palestinian Authority, Jordan and the Arab League slammed the Israeli government for an operation during which police officers found pipe bombs on the Temple Mount in the Old City in Jerusalem on Sunday, the Times of Israel reported.
The Shin Bet security service alerted police to the cache, apparently an effort by Palestinians to stock up on bombs, flares and rocks ahead of an organized riot.
After the raid, which quickly turned violent, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel of carrying out an “attack” on the mosque and said sites such as al-Aqsa constituted a “red line,” adding that the Palestinians “will not allow attacks against our holy places”.
“The presidency strongly condemns the attack by the occupier’s military and police against the al-Aqsa Mosque and the aggression against the faithful who were there,” said a statement from Abbas’ office. [ Source ]
Jordan scolds Israel for ‘storming’ Muslim holy sites on Temple Mount
Jordan, which claims a special status as the Arab and Muslim world’s custodian of the Islamic shrines and mosques on Temple Mount, warned Jerusalem that it was in danger of crossing “a red line” by stoking tensions at the site.
“Jordan will firmly counter all attempts targeting the city’s holy sanctities, stemming from the Hashemite custodianship of Jerusalem’s sacred places,” Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said in a statement carried by official state media in Amman.
“Jordan will spare no effort to contact world powers and international organizations to put an end to the recurring Israeli violations and attacks against the holy city’s shrines.” [ Source ]