The Palestinian Foreign Ministry has condemned the Israeli approval of a plan to seize Palestinian properties near Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem, describing the move as “ethnic cleansing.”
In a statement Sunday, the ministry denounced what it described as an Israeli scheme targeting properties in the Bab al-Silsila neighbourhood adjacent to Al-Aqsa Mosque inside Jerusalem’s Old City.
It described the move as a “dangerous colonial step” aimed at expanding settlement control around Al-Aqsa and displacing Palestinians from occupied East Jerusalem.
The ministry warned that targeting Bab al-Silsila, one of the main historical routes leading to the mosque, reflects a systematic policy aimed at emptying surrounding areas of their residents.
The ministry called on the international community, including the UN and UNESCO, to reject the measures and provide protection for Islamic and Christian holy sites.
