Ramallah, September 01 (QNA) - The Palestinian Presidency warned of escalating religious tensions fueled by Israeli forces and settlers against Al Aqsa Mosque and other holy sites, saying the systematic attacks have crossed all red lines and risk triggering a religious conflict with serious regional and global consequences.
In a statement Tuesday, the Presidency said settlers' early-morning attempt to set fire to Nour Al Din Zanki Mosque in Bazariya, northwest of Nablus, and spray racist slogans on its walls, coinciding with the Israeli National Security Minister's storming of Al Aqsa, shows that attacks on holy sites have become a systematic policy backed by the Israeli government.
It said attacks on mosques, repeated incursions into Al Aqsa and allowing Jewish rituals in its courtyards are part of a plan to alter the mosque's historical and legal status and undermine its Islamic character.
The Presidency held the Israeli government responsible for the ongoing attacks and incitement, warning they could further escalate tensions.
It reaffirmed that Al Aqsa, covering 144 dunams, is exclusively an Islamic place of worship, and that East Jerusalem and its Muslim and Christian holy sites are part of the occupied Palestinian territory.
It called on the international community and the UN Security Council to act immediately to stop the violations, protect the holy sites and provide international protection for the Palestinian people. (QNA)