Occupied Jerusalem, February 18 (QNA) - The Jerusalem Governorate affirmed that the Israeli occupation authorities' decision to extend the period of settler incursions into the Al Aqsa Mosque by an additional hour daily during Ramadan constitutes a dangerous escalation.

In a statement on Wednesday, the governorate said that it has serious concerns that the temporary measure will turn into a permanent policy that extends beyond Ramadan, considering the decision a dangerous escalation that affects the historical and legal status quo at Al Aqsa Mosque, and constitutes a blatant provocation to the feelings of Muslims in Jerusalem, Palestine and the entire world.

The governorate indicated that the decision was accompanied by incitement campaigns led by extremist colonial associations, which included publishing videos calling for the closure of Al Aqsa Mosque, and promoting false religious narratives claiming that the place is holy to Jews, in a clear attempt to impose a new reality by force and to entrench the temporal and spatial division of the mosque.

The Jerusalem Governorate affirmed that the Al Aqsa Mosque is a purely Islamic place of worship, and that all occupation measures against it are null and void and illegitimate, and represent a flagrant violation of international law and relevant international legitimacy resolutions.

With the start of Ramadan, the occupation forces extended the duration of settlers' incursions into the Al Aqsa Mosque by an additional hour, making it five hours daily. (QNA)