Arab Parliament chief condemns Israeli escalation at Al-Aqsa Mosque

Mohammed bin Ahmed Al-Yamahi, Speaker of the Arab Parliament, strongly condemned the serious and ongoing Israeli escalation in the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly at Al-Aqsa Mosque and in the West Bank. He warned against the consequences of continued attempts by the occupying authorities to impose new realities aimed at altering the historical and legal status of holy sites. Al-Yamahi also denounced efforts to introduce Jewish prayer books and religious rituals into Al-Aqsa Mosque, as well as the tightening of restrictions and closures on Palestinians in the West Bank. He stressed that these actions constitute a systematic escalation, a blatant violation of the sanctity of holy sites and Palestinian rights, and a dangerous attempt to impose a new reality by force.

The Speaker also strongly condemned the inflammatory statements by Bezalel Smotrich, Minister of Finance in the Israeli government, in which he called for launching a war on the West Bank, repeating what happened in Gaza, and dismantling the Palestinian Authority. Al-Yamahi affirmed that such statements are a direct call to expand aggression and destruction, posing a serious threat to stability in the West Bank and undermining the foundations of peace.

Al-Yamahi warned that turning the West Bank into another Gaza would have catastrophic consequences for the Palestinian people and the entire region. He stressed that attempts to storm Al-Aqsa Mosque and alter its identity and historical and legal status, alongside targeting the West Bank and its national institutions, require urgent and decisive international action before the situation spirals out of control. He called on the international community and the UN Security Council to fulfill their responsibilities by compelling Israel to halt these violations and escalation, protect the Palestinian people and their holy sites, and hold those responsible for incitement and attacks accountable. Al-Yamahi emphasized that international silence in the face of these policies only encourages further escalation and undermines prospects for peace and stability in the region.