Jordan condemns Israeli violations at sanctuary

AMMAN — The government on Friday condemned storming of Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif by Israeli occupation forces and Jewish extremists, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

State Minister for Media Affairs Mohammad Momani said that the occupation forces and the extremists assaulted a number of worshippers, used pepper spray and closed the southern mosque inside the sanctuary, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Momani said that the Jewish religious holidays have unfortunately become occasions to increase tension at the mosque, voicing rejection of the practices of extremists groups, who barge into the Muslim holy shrine under the protection of the Israeli police, which breach the sanctity of the holy place and provokes the prayers.

Momani, who is government’s spokesman, stressed that Israel, as an occupying authority in East Jerusalem, is responsible for the safety of the mosque, worshippers, and Jerusalem Awqaf staff, as part of its commitments under the international law and the international humanitarian law.

He also stressed the importance of respecting Jordan’s role as the custodian of East Jerusalem’s holy places as stipulated by the peace treaty binding the two countries.