Arab protesters on Temple Mount
Arab protesters on Temple MountFlash 90

The Jewish Temples on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem never existed, official Palestinian Authority (PA) television stated in August - and are instead "myths" being touted for political reasons.

"The story of the Temple is nothing but a collection of legends and myths for political reasons," the PA broadcasted on August 1, Palestinian Media Watch revealed Wednesday. "They [Jews] have set Palestine and Jerusalem as their goal, and have used the myths in the service of their declared goals of occupation and imperialism."

"In the spirit of the delusions and legends, they try to get rid of the Al-Aqsa [Mosque] and establish their so-called 'Temple' - the greatest crime and forgery in history."

PMW links the message to a speech by PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas in January 2014, in which he made similar claims. 

"The occupation authorities are continuing their efforts to achieve their final goal of Judaizing Jerusalem, acting in several ways," Abbas stated at the time. "They imagine that by this brute force they can invent a [Jewish] history, establish claims and erase solid religious and historical facts."

The PA frequently twists history to demonize the Jews, with a special focus on the Temple Mount - the holiest site in Judaism. 

Arabs have repeatedly tried to erase the Jewish nature of the site, where the First and Second Temples stood, by destroying ancient Jewish artifacts and building illegally

Earlier this year, the PA and Hamas claimed that the Mount was a Roman site.