Palestinian Islamic council: Israel undermining foundations of al-Aqsa Mosque

The Palestinian Supreme Fatwa Council renewed a ban on selling properties to Israelis and issued a series of statements decrying the "Judaization" of Palestinian and Islamic sites.

The Palestinian Supreme Fatwa Council accused Israel of working to “undermine the foundations” of al-Aqsa Mosque.

The accusation on Thursday was the latest of many Palestinian remarks that Israel has devised a plan to destroy al-Aqsa in order to rebuild the Third Temple.

The new charge comes as Palestinians are set to mark the anniversary of the burning of the pulpit of al-Aqsa on August 21, 1969, by Christian Australian citizen Denis Rohan.

Hamas and other Palestinian factions have urged Palestinians to mark the anniversary by heading to al-Aqsa to defendit against Israeli attacks.

Other groups have called for protests in Al-Quds and the West Bank for the occasion.

Established in 1994 by then Palestinian Authority president Yasser Arafat, the council is headed by the mufti of Al-Quds, Sheikh Mohammed Hussein, and includes in its membership several scholars and Islamic clerics.

The council warned of the “danger of the excavations” carried out by Israel southwest of al-Aqsa Mosque, specifically the Western Wall Plaza and the Mughrabi Gate.