Arab League slams repeated Israeli incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque

The Arab League on Monday condemned the repeated incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound by Israelis as an attempt to Judaize Jerusalem.

Saed Abu Ali, AL assistant secretary general for Palestine and the occupied Arab territories affairs, said the unprecedented incidents in Jerusalem recently were a blatant violation of the rights of the Palestinians and Muslims, and the international covenants and resolutions, Xinhua reported.

Israel insists on the "spatial and temporal division of Al-Aqsa Mosque and is deliberately planning to continue its Judaization of Jerusalem," Ali said in a statement.

Commenting on the threat by the United States to cut financial aid to the Palestinian Authority over the latest violent clashes with Israel, Ali said the Palestinians will not give in to such pressure.

The AL has adopted several resolutions to support Palestinians, including the one issued at the recent Amman summit aimed at doubling financial aid to Palestinians in Jerusalem, he added.

Up to 58 Israeli settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound Monday morning from the Magharba Gate, the latest in several similar incursions by Israeli settlers recently.

The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, revered by both Muslims and Jews, has been a flashpoint site for violent clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces in the past decades.

At least five Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli-Palestinian clashes in Jerusalem and West Bank since July 14, after Israel imposed security measures at the entrances to the holy compound.

But the tensions have calmed down since later July after Israel removed the metal detectors and cameras installed at the entrances.

--IANS

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