By Khaled Abu Toameh, JPost—-
Leaders of several Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip have called on Palestinians to converge on al-Aqsa Mosque compound (Temple Mount) on Friday to protect it against “provocations by Zionist criminals.”
The call came after an emergency meeting of faction leaders on Wednesday evening in the office of Hamas’s Gaza leader, Yahya Sinwar, in Gaza City.
The meeting was held amid claims by Palestinians that “extremist Jews” were planning to conduct ritual sacrifices on Temple Mount during the Passover holiday.
“The factions and the Joint Operations Room will remain on high and constant alert to follow up on developments and do what is necessary to protect our people and our holy sites,” a spokesperson for the groups said in a statement.
The faction leaders also called on the terror groups to be ready to “defend” al-Aqsa Mosque. They urged Arabs and Muslims, especially those who signed peace treaties with Israel, to “reconsider their positions and end their alliance with the enemy.”
The Palestinian Authority and Jordan also warned on Wednesday that “provocations” by Jews at al-Aqsa Mosque compound during Passover could spark a new cycle of violence.
A Jewish group called The Returning to the Mount announced earlier this week that it would be offering a cash reward to anyone who succeeds in sacrificing a lamb at the Temple Mount.
But Israeli government officials clarified on Wednesday that no such rituals would be permitted. Continue Reading….
