Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's statements about the continuation of buildings' demolition in East Jerusalem even during Ramadan, the holy month for Muslims, which begins at the end of March, aggravate the situation. The Palestinian foreign ministry said this on Monday.
"The provocative statements of Israel's radical National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir escalate the conflict, especially his boast about demolishing Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem during Ramadan," the foreign ministry said in a statement published on its website. The Palestinian foreign ministry stressed that "such statements are on a par with large-scale operations to judaize Jerusalem, carried out in order to strike at the Palestinian presence and establish Israeli control over it."
The Palestinian foreign ministry held "the Israeli government led by [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu fully and directly responsible for the crimes and ongoing violations in Jerusalem," calling on it to "cease all unilateral measures."
On Monday, Israel's state-run Kan radio station reported that Ben-Gvir ordered the continued demolition of illegal buildings in East Jerusalem during the month of Ramadan. According to it, Ben-Gvir has already sent an order to this effect to the Israeli police. As Kan notes, this decision goes against the established practice, in which several years ago the Israeli authorities refused to demolish illegal buildings in East Jerusalem during Ramadan in order to avoid adding to tensions with the Palestinians.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS