Haroun Nasser al-Din, a member of Hamas’s political bureau and the organization’s official in charge of Jerusalem affairs, claimed that the events on Jerusalem Day, celebrated on Monday, which included “wild incursions and provocative attacks with the participation of extremist occupation ministers, constitute a dangerous escalation in the religious war led by the occupation to impose a new Judaization reality.” The comments referenced the visit by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir to the Temple Mount.

Nasser al-Din claimed that these events, alongside the Flag March, reflect “a failed attempt to break the will of our (Palestinian) people and to enforce the alleged Zionist sovereignty over our holy sites.”

He stressed that the identity of Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque will not be affected by those who come and go from the land, as the occupation is merely a phase in the history of “our holy land,” and the Palestinian people will continue to be the defenders of Jerusalem and its holy sites.

Nasser al-Din noted that the true response to Jewish visits to the Temple Mount should be expressed through an increased presence at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and resistance in all its forms by Israeli Arabs and Palestinian Arabs residing in Judea and Samaria.

The Temple Mount, on which the Al-Aqsa Mosque stands, is the holiest site in Judaism. Arabs have repeatedly tried to erase the Jewish nature of the site, while falsely claiming that Israel is “Judaizing” Jerusalem in an attempt to erase the Muslim connection to the city.

A claim which they consistently repeat is that Israel plans to destroy the Al-Aqsa Mosque and replace it with a Holy Temple.