United on Quds, religious scholars decry Israel’s occupation of Palestine

According to Press TV, a senior leader of the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement warned the Tel Aviv regime of serious negative repercussions in case Israeli officials commit an act of folly against the sacred al-Aqsa Mosque in the occupied Old City of al-Quds.

“The Palestinian nation and the people of al-Quds are defending their faith in the al-Aqsa Mosque and the Holy City. We warn the Zionists against committing any stupid move concerning al-Aqsa Mosque,” Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas Political Bureau Chief, said during a speech he delivered via video link on Wednesday ahead of the International Quds Day, which falls on May 22 this year.

The International Quds Day is a legacy of the late Founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini (God’s mercy upon him), who designated the day in solidarity with Palestinians.

Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, the event has been held worldwide on the last Friday of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadhan.

Hanyieh then called for a comprehensive measure in the face of the controversial plan laid out by US President Donald Trump on the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict, dubbed ‘deal of century.’

The top Hamas leader underlined that Trump’s proposed plan is based on the liquidation of the Palestinian cause, al-Quds in particular, and seeks to abolish the Palestinian right of return.

Haniyeh further highlighted that al-Quds is now suffering one of its most dangerous stages.

“Today, we are facing a big and dangerous challenge, especially that the new Israeli cabinet has opted to annex parts of the West Bank, expropriate al-Quds, and change the features of the sacred al-Aqsa Mosque.

“We will finally liberate al-Aqsa mosque from the grip of the Israeli occupation. Al-Quds is the capital of the State of Palestine,” he said.

Israeli occupation epidemic more dangerous than coronavirus

Separately, the Archbishop of Sebastia from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in al-Quds, Atallah Hanna, described the Israeli regime’s occupation of Palestinian lands more dangerous than the novel coronavirus pandemic.

“Al-Quds must be liberated, and we call for the frustration of all plots and conspiracies against our holy city in particular, and the Palestinian cause in general. Al-Quds is an issue that directly concerns both Christians and Muslims worldwide,” he said.

The Palestinian Christian leader stressed, “The Zionists attack al-Quds on daily basis and every hour. The Israelis seek to undermine its history and identity. There is no dignity for the Palestinian nation without al-Quds.”

International Quds Day an eternal and historic event

Sheikh Abdul-Latif al-Hamim, Head of the Sunni Endowment of Iraq, also hailed the International Quds Day as an eternal and historic event, stating that the Israeli regime is sponsoring terrorism in West Asia region in a bid to divert public attention away from its crimes against Palestinians.

“We confront the Occupier with determination and resolve, because al-Quds will not return to us by any means other than resistance. We reiterate it will not be a memory of the past.

“Nobody can think of buying or selling al-Quds, and no one can think the path to its liberation is closed,” he said.

International Quds Day very vital to safeguard Palestinian nation, unity

Furthermore, Bahrain's most prominent Shia Cleric Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim said the International Quds Day is highly essential in order to safeguard the Palestinian nation and its unity, emphasizing that the event is a day of Islamic awakening.

He added that the Israeli regime is trying to impose its wills on Muslim nations through establishment of relations with some Arab states.

“The Bahraini nation stands with the Palestinian resistance movements in the face of the Occupation (Israel).  The Bahraini people have opposed the enemies of Islam throughout history,” the top Bahraini clergyman said.