The Jerusalem International Foundation warned of possible incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque during Jewish holidays, as well as of the possibility of Israel closing the mosque;
Under the pretext of increasing infections with the Coronavirus
This came in a letter sent by the Director General of the Foundation, Yassin Hammoud, to the head of the Islamic Endowments Council in Jerusalem, Sheikh Abdel-Azim Salhab, a copy of which was received by Al Jazeera.
Al-Quds International - headquartered in Lebanon - is an independent, non-governmental, civil institution that includes Arab, Islamic and international personalities and organizations working to save Jerusalem and preserve its Arab identity and its Islamic and Christian sanctities, according to the institution’s website.
The Foundation called to be alert to developments related to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, especially the preparations by extremist Jewish groups to take advantage of the period of Jewish holidays between September 19 and October 11.
And she stressed the need not to close the Al-Aqsa Mosque to the worshipers for any reason, stressing the need to open it, taking into account the conditions of health protection and physical distancing.
The Foundation also called not to involve the occupation in any decision concerning Al-Aqsa, and emphasized the support and protection of its employees, and the provision of all required capabilities "to carry out their duties against the usurping intruders."
At the end of its message, the Foundation called to raise "a loud voice for the brothers in Jordan to be up to the responsibility in these difficult circumstances that are going through the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and to reveal to all the world the types of Israeli crime against the mosque."
Last week, the Israeli occupation authorities approved the imposition of a comprehensive closure that begins next Friday (the eve of the Hebrew New Year) for a period of two weeks, with the number of groups reduced to 20 people indoors and 10 indoors.
The Palestinians say that Israel is tightening the screws on Islamic and Christian holy sites, including Al-Aqsa Mosque, as part of its plans to obliterate the Arab Islamic identity of Jerusalem.