WEST BANK (Dispatches) – The Palestinian Islamic Jihad resistance movement has censured the recurrent desecration of the sacred Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and other holy places across the occupied territories, warning of a serious face-off with the occupying regime.
Islamic Jihad spokesman Tariq Salmi denounced Monday morning’s incursion of hundreds of extremist Jewish settlers into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Al-Quds, calling it a “brazen attack on Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims.”
“The assault on the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and performance of provocative rituals in the courtyard of the sacred site reveals the stubborn determination of the far-right administration of the occupying Israeli regime to implement its evil plans. Such moves are viewed as a declaration of war on Al-Quds and the entire Palestinian nation,” Salmi said.
“We are teetering on the edge of a full-fledged confrontation and the situation would go off at any time in case all relevant parties do not fulfill their responsibilities to stop the crimes of the Israeli regime. We would then recognize no reservations to defend Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa Mosque,” he added.
Salmi asserted that Palestinians are fairly capable of defending their land and sanctities, as they proved during the 11-day Operation Sword of Al-Quds in May 2021.
Gaza-based resistance forces launched Operation Sword of Al-Quds in defense of Palestinians in Al-Quds against the Zionist regime’s atrocities and desecration of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
During that operation, Palestinian resistance groups overwhelmed the Zionist regime by firing over 4,000 rockets and missiles into the occupied territories. Israel, shocked by the unprecedented barrage of rockets from Gaza, announced a unilateral ceasefire on May 21 that year, which Palestinian resistance movements accepted with Egyptian mediation.