Ramallah, July 23 (Petra) -- The Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs (HPCCA) in Palestine on Thursday condemned an Israeli escalation at Al-Aqsa Mosque.

In a statement, HPCCA said thousands of settlers stormed the mosque's yards under military protection, allegedly marking the so-called "Temple destruction anniversary." The committee said settlers raised Israeli flags, sung Israel's national anthem and erected a tent inside the mosque's grounds, calling the incursion an attempt to impose new facts on the ground and undermine the historical and legal status quo.

Ahead of the storming, the occupation barred the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and the Palestinian Territories from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque, the committee said.

The move is part of a broader policy to restrict Palestinian religious authorities and pave the way for further settler incursions and violations of the mosque's sanctity and religious and historical standing.

Overall, the committee said these acts were not isolated violations but part of continuous efforts to alter the historical and legal reality in Jerusalem, which are a breach of international law and freedom of worship, and a provocation against the feelings of millions of Muslims and Christians worldwide.

Amid absence of a firm international stance, the committee warned against continuation of such policies that would fuel further violations, threaten regional security and stability, and undermine prospects for a just and lasting peace based on respect for international law.

The committee urged the international community, the United Nations, UNESCO, church leaders, and religious and human rights bodies to take immediate action to pressure Israel, the occupying power, to halt its attacks on Islamic and Christian holy sites, ensure the protection of worship places, preserve Jerusalem's historical and legal status quo and hold it accountable for its violations of international law.

//Petra// NQ