NEW YORK, March 30, 2026 (WAFA) – Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, sent three identical letters on Monday to the United Nations Secretary-General, the President of the United Nations Security Council for the month (the United States), and the President of the United Nations General Assembly regarding the dangerous Israeli escalation targeting the historical and legal status of holy sites in Jerusalem.
In this context, Mansour pointed to Israel’s deliberate prevention on Sunday of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, along with the Custos of the Holy Land, Francesco Ielpo, from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to perform religious rites and celebrate the Palm Sunday Mass.
Mansour also highlighted Israel’s continued imposition of an illegal blockade and unprecedented restrictions on the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound—also known as Al-Haram Al-Sharif—for more than a month.
He said thousands of worshippers were prevented from accessing the site, including during the holy month of Ramadan and the Eid al-Fitr holiday.
According to Mansour, Israeli forces also used excessive force against worshippers, including batons, stun grenades, and tear gas, even outside the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem.
He stressed that the continuation of such violations and discriminatory measures reflects a systematic Israeli effort to undermine the historic status quo and impose control over Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.
He warned that these measures aim to erase the Palestinian and Arab identity of the city and entrench Israel’s illegal occupation and annexation of the occupied Palestinian territory, particularly East Jerusalem.
Mansour added that the impunity enjoyed by Israel enables it to continue violating fundamental rules of international law and the basic rights of the Palestinian people.
He also noted that the escalation coincides with Palestinians marking Land Day, which symbolizes their attachment to their land and identity and their continued rejection of forced displacement and land confiscation policies.
Mansour called on the international community to assume its responsibilities and take immediate and effective measures to halt these violations, ensure respect for the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem, protect freedom of worship, and safeguard the rights of the Palestinian people.
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