Members of Israeli forces walk next to extremist Jewish settlers at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, amid clashes with Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied Old City of al-Quds on April 5, 2023. (File photo by Reuters)

Jerusalem, July 18 (RHC)-- The head of a Palestinian non-governmental organization has raised alarms about looming Israeli plots to proceed with its Judaization measures in the occupied Old City of al-Quds as part of its long-standing bid to take over the holy al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

In a statement, the head of the al-Quds Commission against Judaization, Nasser al-Hadmi, highlighted the recurrent desecration of the sacred site by Israeli military forces and extremist Zionist settlers as well as the regime’s schemes to demolish the mosque.  He further pointed out that the Tel Aviv regime bans renovation and restoration work at the holy site and is poised to take it over.

The development came as Palestinian lawmaker Basem al-Za’arir also called for a mass mobilization of Palestinians and their stronger presence at the al-Aqsa Mosque courtyards in order to protect it against Israeli incursions and violations.

The remarks came on the same day that Israeli forces stormed the Bab al-Rahma (The Gate of Mercy) prayer space as well as the al-Qibli prayer hall, provocatively desecrating both areas.  The al-Aqsa Mosque compound sits just above the Western Wall plaza and houses both the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque.

According to an agreement signed between the occupying Israeli regime and the Jordanian government following the regime's illegal seizure of East al-Quds in 1967, non-Muslim worship at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound is prohibited.

Many of the Israeli Knesset members are right-wing extremists that support the demolition of the Islamic holy site in order to build a Jewish temple instead.  Earlier, the Palestinian foreign ministry had warned of the Israeli plots to take over Palestinian archaeological sites, calling on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to assume its responsibilities and confront the scheme.

The ministry, in a statement, condemned the late July 13 raid on the archaeological village of Sebastia, located some 12 kilometers northwest of the city of Nablus.  It also warned that the Israeli military and settler militia groups are planning to take control of the Roman-era archaeological site.

“This is an attack that falls within a plan to take over Palestinian archaeological sites throughout the West Bank and to impose Israeli control over them and annex them,” it added.