Hamas calls for the defense of Al-Aqsa and warns Israel against dragging the region into a "religious war"

Today, Thursday, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) called for a pilgrimage to Al-Aqsa Mosque and to defend the Holy City against “Judaization and desecration schemes, especially during the alleged holidays.”

Hamas warned Israel against dragging the region into an "open religious war" because of the violations of the occupation, in the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the city of Jerusalem.

Mahmoud al-Zahar, a member of Hamas' political bureau, said in a press conference held at the Great Omari Mosque in Gaza City, that the movement "is following the preparations made by the Zionist groups to revive the seasons of the alleged Jewish holidays, by storming and desecrating Al-Aqsa."

Al-Zahar called on the authority in Ramallah to carry out its duty to "protect Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa instead of profane security coordination, chasing the resistance fighters and arresting them in service of the occupation," adding that this "constitutes a high betrayal against Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa and the national constants of our people."

A member of the Hamas political bureau stressed that "the occupation bears full responsibility for the repercussions of violations in Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa, and the possibility of dragging the region into an open religious war that ends with its demise."

Al-Zahar called on Jordan, which has religious jurisdiction over the holy sites in the city of Jerusalem, to “urgent and immediate intervention, to participate in the protection of Jerusalem.” He called on Arab and Islamic countries to “take immediate action to deter the occupation and force it to stop its racist plans, and work to raise the file of Zionist crimes and violations against Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa.” to the International Criminal Court to try the leaders of the occupation as war criminals.

It is noteworthy that Israel celebrates the so-called Hebrew New Year on September 26, and the Jewish Day of Atonement on the fifth of next October.

Israeli right-wing groups have called for intensifying incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque, which Palestinian activists responded to by calling for a pilgrimage to the Noble Mosque and a sit-in.

Since 2003, the Israeli police have allowed settlers to storm Al-Aqsa Mosque through the Mughrabi Gate, in the western wall of the mosque, without the approval of the Islamic Endowment Department, which calls for a halt to the incursions.