Deputy Director-General of Islamic Endowments in Occupied Jerusalem, Najeh Bakirat, has issued a heartfelt plea to the Muslim world, urging immediate action to end the siege on the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Old City of Jerusalem.

He also called for the protection of these sacred sites from the Israeli occupation’s plans during Jewish holidays.

Bakirat emphasized that “Al-Aqsa Mosque is enduring an open and deliberate war.

We are faced with a significant dilemma, an uneven battle where the Israeli occupation possesses the weapons, the army, the authority, and all the elements of oppression and tyranny.”

He further added, “We are resisting against extremist Israeli institutions, whether inside or outside the city, that have come together to fight us, break our will, and weaken our strength, scattering our efforts.”

Bakirat highlighted that whenever the Jerusalemites try to confront the occupation’s plans and wars, another front is opened against them, attempting to exhaust them by restricting their access to Al-Aqsa and the Old City, impacting their education, economy, and housing.

The Urgent Need to Lift the Siege:

The immediate priority, according to Bakirat, is to lift the Israeli siege imposed on Al-Aqsa and the people of Jerusalem.

He noted that the Israeli occupation has not ceased its pursuit of Jerusalemites in all aspects of life, imposing fines on hundreds of thousands of vehicles coming to the Old City and Al-Aqsa.

They also target Jerusalemite women who sell goods near the Al-Amoud Gate, confiscating their merchandise.

Preparations for Jewish Holidays:

As preparations for the Jewish New Year (“Rosh Hashanah”) were underway, Israeli police had turned Jerusalem into a military garrison.

Thousands of Israeli officers and special units were deployed in the city, with iron barriers set up at the entrances to Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Old City.

The so-called “Temple Mount” groups were planning a mass incursion into Al-Aqsa Mosque on the following Sunday to mark “Rosh Hashanah.”

These incursions typically include Talmudic rituals and attempts to blow the shofar (ram’s horn) inside the mosque.

Warning Against Temple Mount Plans:

Bakirat emphasized that the transfer of Jewish holidays to Al-Aqsa and the Old City, along with the bringing of the heifer sacrifice (“Red Heifer”), the establishment of temple models in the Umayyad Palaces area, tunnel construction, and other Judaization projects, are all part of the preparations to build the so-called “Third Temple” in place of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

He warned that unless the siege on Al-Aqsa is lifted and practical support is provided for Jerusalem and its people, they will witness the division of the blessed mosque.

Bakirat concluded by saying, “It is time for the world to hear us and act urgently to save Al-Aqsa from Israeli projects,” while reaffirming the resilience and determination of the Palestinian people to stand against the occupation and thwart its schemes.

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