Palestinians condemn Netanyahu’s provocative tour of Al-Aqsa compound
Benjamin Netanyahu has toured the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East al-Quds in a provocative move to celebrate the Jewish Hanukkah holiday, drawing strong condemnation from the Palestinians.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Al-Quds Governorate denounced the presence of the Israeli prime minister at the al-Buraq Wall, also known as the Western or Wailing Wall, describing it as a “new provocation” at one of Islam’s holiest sites.
It said the wall is an integral part of the compound, warning that such actions risk further inflaming tensions at the flashpoint site.
Netanyahu’s office released photographs showing him at the compound alongside several official figures, including US Ambassador Mike Huckabee.
The eight-day Hanukkah holiday runs from December 14 to 22.
According to Palestinian authorities, at least 210 illegal Israeli settlers have entered the al-Aqsa Mosque complex under heavy Israeli police protection to mark the holiday since Monday.
Palestinian and Muslim officials have repeatedly rejected “growing incursions and attempts” to alter the historic and legal status of the site.
Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third-holiest site in Islam, has been a longstanding focal point of Israeli-Palestinian tension.
Non-Muslim worship at the holy compound is prohibited under an agreement signed between Israel and the Jordanian government in the wake of the regime's occupation of al-Quds in 1967. However, the ban is a mere phrase and, in action, circumstances have been against Muslims.
Netanyahu is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over war crimes in the Gaza Strip.
East al-Quds, where the al-Aqsa Mosque is located, was occupied by Israel during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and unilaterally annexed in 1980, a move not recognized by the international community.
Under international law, East al-Quds is considered occupied territory, and Israeli settlement activity and official actions in the area are deemed illegal.
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