Since the 1969 arson attack in al-Aqsa Mosque, the Israeli occupation has been targeting the Muslim holy site through its plots, including dividing the mosque spatially and timely and demolishing it and building the Temple Mount on its remains.

The arson attack was not, as the Israeli occupation claims, an unacceptable act by a mentally-ill settler but rather a systemic policy and an entrenched vision adopted by the Israeli occupation since it conquered Jerusalem.

This tragic anniversary comes as some Arab regimes chose to normalise ties with the Israeli occupation instead of defending their holy site and repulse the ongoing Israeli aggression against it.      

The continuing wave of normalisation at this time is a poisoned dagger in the heart of the Palestinian cause as normalisers give the Israeli occupation a permission to continue killing, displacing, and disposing the Palestinian people and defiling al-Aqsa Mosque.

On this ill-fated anniversary, Hamas states the following:

First: Al-Aqsa Mosque is a red line that the Palestinian people will continue defending and will not allow any assault on it.     

Second: Hamas salutes the Palestinian people, particularly the Palestinian citizens of Jerusalem, for standing steadfast and defending al-Aqsa Mosque, hailing also Palestinian residents of the 1948 occupied Palestinian territories, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and diaspora.

Third: Banning Palestinian worshipers from entering al-Aqsa Mosque and arresting Sheikh Raed Salah are failed attempts to take over the Muslim holy site.

Fourth: Palestinian unity is the most effective approach to face off the Israeli occupation and its plots. Thus, Hamas is very keen to work with all Palestinian factions and segments to face off annexation, Judaisation, and colonisation of Palestinian lands.

Fifth: Normalising ties with the Israeli occupation is vehemently rejected and will always be a stab in the back of the Palestinians and a betrayal of the al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem, and Palestine.