On Tuesday, Palestine called on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to stop Israel from escalating tensions against Palestinians after Jewish activists decided to break into a holy mosque in East Jerusalem.
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Israeli media reported that activists of some Jewish organizations called for an "incursion into Al-Aqsa Mosque's compound," which will be launched on Thursday morning until the afternoon.
The Palestinian Foreign Affairs Ministry condemned the activists' plans to raise Israeli flags and sing the Israeli national anthem at the mosque, saying in a statement that "these violations reflect the official Israeli insistence to escalate the situation and implement its plans to perpetuate the occupation."
The ministry called on the UNSC "to take the necessary measures to pressure Israel to stop its escalation against the Palestinian people."
Hussein Al-Sheikh, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, called the extremists' plans "an outrageous disregard of the feelings of Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims" and "a continuation of extremist racist campaigns."
The Israeli government did not comment on the Israeli extremists' calls. Since the start of the the Muslims' fasting month of Ramadan early April, tension between Israelis and Palestinians has been running high. The compound of Al-Aqsa Mosque, known as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount in Jerusalem's Old City, has long been a focal point of conflict.
Last week, the Palestine Chronicle warned that "Israeli authorities are allowing Jewish settlers to desecrate Al-Aqsa Mosque, while the authorities carry out raids and attacks on Palestinians in Jerusalem almost daily."