WEST BANK (Dispatches) – The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has censured attempts by the Zionist regime to Judaize and divide Al-Aqsa Mosque in the occupied Old City of Al-Quds, saying that Palestinians will continue defending their territories until there will be no place for the occupiers.
Abdul-Latif al-Qanou, a spokesman for the Gaza Strip-based resistance group, said in a press statement that the escalating Zionist raids into Al-Aqsa Mosque and the regime’s desperate attempts to tighten the grip on the holy site required continued Palestinian presence in Al-Aqsa’s courtyards.
“The Zionist occupation continues its aggression and mobilizes its forces and police to storm Al-Aqsa Mosque and attempts to extend control,” Qanou said.
“The Israeli plans to Judaize and divide al-Aqsa Mosque will be foiled,” he said.
The Hamas spokesman also said that the Zionist settlers’ intrusions into Al-Aqsa Mosque, facilitated by tight protection of regime forces during the Jewish holidays while closed to Muslim worshipers, heralded bad omens that the occupying regime would be responsible for.
Last month, Hamas severely censured the Zionist regime and extremist Jewish settlers for their unrelenting violations at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, saying such acts of desecration could lead to an uncontrollable explosion of Muslim nations’ wrath.
In another development, the family of an elderly Palestinian-American man, Omar Abdalmajeed As’ad, who died after being forcibly detained, blindfolded and handcuffed by Zionist troops, has vehemently rejected a claim from regime authorities that the parties have reached a compensation settlement.
Nawwaf As’ad, Omar’s brother, strongly denounced reports that the family had accepted financial compensation in exchange for closing the lawsuit, the Palestinian official Wafa news agency reported.
As’ad stressed that he had instructed the family’s lawyer to continue the legal procedures until the perpetrators are held to account for their crime.
He further said that the family would continue the legal procedures in courts.
“We will not give up the case for any reason. The death of my brother Omar cannot be compensated with money. His wife and children miss him and his grandchildren are still calling for him and looking for him at home.”
An autopsy carried out on the body of the Palestinian-American elderly showed that he had died of a stress-induced heart attack caused by the circumstances of his detention, with signs of bruises and abrasions on his body and head.