JERUSALEM _ Palestine News Network
JERUSALEM--Israel is working to remove everything that represents a Palestinian sovereignty in the eastern part of Jerusalem, Palestinian Affairs Minister Adnan Husseini, a member of the PLO´s executive committee, said Sunday.
"Israel does not want any Palestinian service sovereign institution in Jerusalem," Husseini told the official Palestinian radio.
"For two years, Israel has been flirting with all forms of Palestinian presence in Jerusalem, exploiting the blind American support for it and Washington´s recognition of the city as a unified capital of Israel," Husseini said.
He referred to Israel´s decision a few days ago to close a number of institutions and prevent any activity of the Palestinian Authority in Jerusalem "with the aim of liquidating the Palestinian presence there in application of Israel´s strategy of Judaizing the holy city."
The decision included the institutions of Orient House, Chamber of Commerce, the Supreme Council of Tourism, the Palestinian Center for Studies, the Captive Club and the Office of Social and Statistical studies, he said.
Husseini also accused Israel of escalating plans to "Judaize" the Al-Aqsa mosque, calling for an Arab and Islamic political stance to demand that Israel cease its practices against the mosque.
In the context, the Minister of Awqaf and Religious Affairs of the Palestinian caretaker government, Yusuf ´ Aqwais, denounced the "multiple Israeli incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque, whether individuals, groups or officials."
In a statement, he said that "the Israeli occupation of these daily incursions is a past in its plans to demolish the Al-Aqsa Mosque and establish the structure of the alleged place," calling on international institutions to move to end Israeli actions against Al-Aqsa mosque.
The General Mufti of Jerusalem and the Palestinian home, Sheikh Mohammed Hussein, also condemned the Israeli authorities ´ permission to fly three dhows over the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Friday.
In a statement, Hussain said the incident was "a dangerous and provocative precedent for the feelings of the Palestinians and a grave violation of the sanctity of the Holy Al-Aqsa Mosque and is blatant."
He warned the Israeli authorities that "such attacks would spark tension in the entire region and drag it into a square of violence."
