Amman, April 7 (Petra) -- Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Mohammad Khalayleh strongly condemned yesterday’s actions carried out by Israeli occupation authorities, which involved storming Al-Aqsa Mosque and opening its gates to extremist Jewish settlers and officials, while Muslim worshippers were prevented from accessing the mosque.

In a statement on Tuesday, Khalayleh described the ongoing 40-day closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque as a historic crime, unprecedented in the mosque’s centuries-long history.

He emphasized that Al-Aqsa Mosque / Al-Haram Al-Sharif, which spans 144 dunams along with its walls, courtyards, and cemeteries, is an exclusive Muslim right. No party can challenge this entitlement, and the Islamic Waqf Department in Jerusalem, under Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, retains full authority over its administration, access, and affairs, with the support of continuous Hashemite custodianship across generations.

//Petra// WH