Palestinian MP defies ban on visiting Jerusalem’s Al Haram Al Sharif

Occupied Jerusalem: A Palestinian lawmaker in the Israeli Knesset said he entered Occupied Jerusalem’s Al Haram Al Sharif Wednesday despite a ban on visits by members of parliament to the site at the heart of a wave of deadly violence.

Basel Ghattas, a Christian member of the Israeli parliament for the Arab Joint List coalition, said on his Facebook page that he visited the site to send a message to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“This morning I entered Al Haram Al Sharif in spite of Netanyahu,” Ghattas said.

“Israel does not control who is banned from entering the mosque, and continues to change the status quo.”

Ghattas posted photos and a video appearing to show him on Wednesday in and around the mosque complex, which is the third-holiest site in Islam.

Unprecedented Israeli restrictions on Palestinian access to their own holy site have enflamed Palestinian anger. Adding insult to injury, Israeli occupation forces have escorted Jewish colonists to the holy site to perform religious rituals which goes against a status-quo agreement allowing Jews to visit but not pray.

Over 60 Palestinians have been killed in the violence.

Palestinians say that Israel is seeking to change the rules governing the site as a part of an overall plan to Judaise occupied Jerusalem.

On Tuesday, Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely stoked Palestinian fears by saying it was her “dream to see the Israeli flag flying” over the holy site in occupied east Jerusalem.

Netanyahu’s office reacted swiftly with a statement recalling his promise to maintain the status quo and ordering members of his government to “act accordingly.”