Libya PM condemns Israeli attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque

TRIPOLI, Libya

Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh has condemned Israeli attacks that targeted Palestinian worshipers at Al-Aqsa Mosque in the occupied East Jerusalem on Friday.

"We always stand by the just cause of the Palestinian people, and condemn the attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque, our first Qibla [direction to which Muslims turn at prayer], and the unprecedented forced eviction of Palestinian citizens," Dbeibeh posted on his Twitter account on Saturday.

In the past few days, Palestinians in Jerusalem have protested in solidarity with the residents of Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood amid clashes with Israeli police.

More than 205 people were injured in Israeli attacks at Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Damascus Gate of the Old City, and Sheikh Jarrah district, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.

The protests came as the Israeli Central Court in East Jerusalem approved a decision to evict seven Palestinian families from their homes in favor of Israeli settlers at the beginning of 2021.

Israeli police attempted to disperse worshippers inside Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Friday evening, using stun grenades and gas bombs.

Women were also targeted by the Israeli forces according to witnesses.

Dbeibeh denounced the actions as undermining the peace process, calling on the international community “to adhere to its responsibility” of finding a just solution for the Palestinians.

Since the beginning of the Muslims’ holy month of Ramadan, Jerusalem has witnessed skirmishes between Palestinian youths and Israeli forces due to the latter's attempts to prevent annual Ramadan gatherings and activities in the city center.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world's third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area the "Temple Mount," claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.

Since 1956, a total of 37 Palestinian families have been living in 27 homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. However, illegal Jewish settlers have been trying to push them out on the basis of a law approved by the Israeli parliament in 1970.

In recent years, Palestinians have evacuated three homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood after Israeli court decisions.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognized by the international community.

*Writing by Ibrahim Mukhtar in Ankara