RAMALLAH, Sunday, March 17, 2019 (WAFA) – The Palestinian presidency condemned today an Israeli court ruling on Bab al-Rahma prayer area inside Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, stressing the ruling is null and illegal.
It said in a statement that the ruling is a continuation of the Israeli escalation against Jerusalem and its holy places.
"The Israeli decision is null and illegal; it is contrary to all international resolutions which stated that East Jerusalem, including Al-Aqsa Mosque/the Noble Sanctuary is part of the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967 and is not subject to the authority of the Israeli judiciary," said the presidency.
It held the Israeli occupation authorities fully responsible for any repercussions from this dangerous Israeli decision and from any change to the existing historical and legal status at Al-Aqsa Mosque, of which Bab al-Rahma is considered an integral part of it.
An Israeli court ruled today to close Bab al-Rahma for Muslim worship and gave the Islamic Waqf department, which is in charge of the Mosque, 60 days to appeal the decision.
The Waqf and the Jordanian government, which is the custodian over the Muslim holy places in occupied Jerusalem, have rejected the court‘s ruling and said the courts do not have any jurisdiction over the Mosque, which a purely Muslim property.
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