Al-Aqsa sheikh warns against Israel’s elevator project at sanctuary’s western wall

The head of the Higher Islamic Council in Occupied Jerusalem and Imam at Al-Aqsa Mosque has condemned the Israeli occupation regime for building an elevator at the western wall of the Noble Sanctuary, the Palestinian Information Centre has reported. Sheikh Ekrima Sabri described the project as “part of a major plan to Judaize the area around the mosque.”

Sheikh Sabri pointed out yesterday that the occupation regime claims that this elevator project is intended to facilitate the access of elderly Jews and those with special needs to the holy site and to make the area ready for the aerial tramways that have already been under construction for some time. “However,” he pointed out, “this is an attack on Islamic mortmain property because the land being built upon belongs to the Islamic Endowments [Awqaf] Authority.”

The veteran Imam also called the elevator project an “Israeli attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque, because the western wall is part of the Islamic holy site.” He warned that such a project is aimed at changing the landscape in occupied Jerusalem and around the mosque to demonstrate that the occupation regime controls the holy city.

Israel’s annexation of East Jerusalem is illegal under international law, and is not recognised by most UN member states.

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