Palestinians Demand Total End to Israeli Imposition in al-Aqsa

The Israeli government decided to remove the metal detectors from al-Aqsa mosque compound following mass-protests by Palestinians against attempts to seize greater control over the holy site. The metal detectors will be replaced by “high-tech” CCTV cameras.

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Palestinians have widely rejected the face-saving attempt by the Israeli leaders, saying that any heightened Israeli control over the space is unacceptable, and nothing more than a colonial crack-down on a sacred space.

“What we want and what we demand is for everything to return to how it was before July 14th. When that happens we are ready to return to enter the al-Aqsa mosque to pray to God Almighty,” Mohammed Hijazi, a worshiper who came to join the protests said to AFP.

While the Israelis have argued the measures are only for security purposes and not meant to interfere, Palestinians have rejected this claim, saying that Israelis have no sovereign right to impose anything on the compound, and that “security” is just an excuse to do so.

“The people responsible for this place are Muslims, and if they [Muslims] want to make changes, they can, but the government of Israel is a government of occupation and according to international law they occupied this land and they have no rights to change these things here in Jerusalem,” a local resident and worshiper said to The Jerusalem Post.

Palestinian leaders, including the cleric who oversees al-Aqsa, demanded that all restrictions be removed, and worshipers are continuing to pray outside of the Mosque until any Israeli imposed measures are removed.

“We reject all obstacles that hinder freedom of worship and we demand the return to the situation where things stood before July 14th,” Rami Hamdallah, the Palestinian Authority Prime Minister and the cleric in charge of the compound said to his cabinet, the Independent reported.

Leaders of the Fatah movement, have also announced a call for Palestinians to once again hold prayers in public rather than in mosques this Friday, i24 news reported.

The mosque compound was shut down following a shootout that left three Palestinians and two Israeli guards dead on July 14th. It was then reopened after several days, but with metal detectors installed. The imposition of Israeli control sparked massive protests.