PA displeased with Jewish visitors at Judaism's holiest sites

The Palestinian Authority Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs is accusing the "occupation" and "colonialists" of escalating their "attacks" against the al-Aqsa Mosque and making "dangerous" plans for the Temple Mount, the Old City of Jerusalem, and the Dome of the Rock.

In a statement published on Wednesday, the Ministry noted that during the month of June, the al-Aqsa Mosque was "broken into" 18 times by the "occupation and colonialist forces."

Later on, the statement notes that the above-mentioned "attacks" were visits by Jews accompanied by the Israeli security force. The Palestinian Authority denies Jews any right to the Temple Mount and sees the site as an Islamic holy place, and therefore uses language such as "break-ins" and "invasions" when referring to Jewish visitors.

In addition, the Ministry noted that the "occupation" prevents the call to prayer from being sounded at the "Holy al-Ibrahimi" site, the Muslim name for the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, which is also seen by the PA as an Islamic holy site without any religious or historic connection to the site where the biblical forefathers are buried.

The Palestinian Authority Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs claims that Israel is stopping the call to prayer to force the division of the use of the Cave of the Patriarchs by time and location, and is a "blatant attack" against the authority of the Wakf Department, "provocation" of Muslim feelings, and an attempt to take control over the site.