Israel”won’t changethe status quo on the esplanade of the Mosques of Jerusalem, according to which Muslims can pray on this holy place but not the faithful of other religions, declared Sunday the head of Israeli diplomacy.
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“Muslims pray on the Temple Mount, non-Muslims can only visit. There is no change, and there will be no changeYaïr Lapid declared to the foreign press after days of violence on the esplanade of the Mosques, the third holiest site in Islam, also considered the holiest place in Judaism under its name of “Temple Mount“.
After deadly attacks in Israel, including two perpetrated by Palestinians, then heavy-handed operations by the Israeli army in the occupied West Bank, violence erupted in mid-April at the esplanade of the Mosques in Jerusalem, raising fears of a new escalation. violence between Israel and Palestinian armed movements.
Also on Friday, more than 50 Palestinians were injured in clashes on the spot with the Israeli police, who said they intervened after young people “riotersthrew stones from the esplanade towards the Western Wall below.
The esplanade of the Mosques is located in the eastern, Palestinian portion of Jerusalem, occupied since 1967 by the Jewish state. This Muslim holy site is administered by Jordan, but its access is controlled by Israel.
The deployment of Israeli police forces on the Esplanade of the Mosques, and on occasion in the local Al-Aqsa mosque, isjustifiedgiven the circumstances, Mr. Lapid said.
“Police intervened as there were hundreds of rioters dispatched by Hamas and Islamic Jihadsaid Mr. Lapid. “I believe (that this deployment) was justified because it prevented a disaster (…) in fact it saved livesLapid said as Israeli authorities fear new tensions in Jerusalem.