He pointed out that Al-Aqsa Mosque witnessed the storming of thousands of settlers today, and Muslims were prevented from entering it and performing the noon prayer, considering that this imposes a new reality regarding the temporal and spatial division of the mosque.
Al-Rifai said that the occupation police turned the Old City of Jerusalem into what resembles a military barracks, closed commercial stores, and prevented the residents of the Old City, noting that nearly 40,000 Palestinians were prevented from leaving their homes, while its alleys witnessed celebrations and chants for the settlers.
He pointed to the introduction of plant offerings to Al-Aqsa Mosque and the participation of Knesset member Amit Halevi in the incursions, noting that he submitted a draft resolution to divide Al-Aqsa Mosque, allocating the Qibli Mosque to Muslims and the rest of the area to Jews.
He added that the extremist Israeli Minister Itamar Ben Gvir stormed the Buraq Square and performed Talmudic prayers.
Regarding the call by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to treat the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem as is done in the Gaza Strip, Al-Rifai said that these calls come within what he described as "bidding" between Israeli parties and blocs ahead of the Knesset elections.
He pointed out that thousands of Palestinians are spending the night in their vehicles due to closures and checkpoints, including students and the elderly, considering that Israeli measures in the West Bank and Jerusalem constitute a "parallel war" to the war in the Gaza Strip.
Al-Rifai said that Israeli military presence increased in the West Bank, noting the deployment of the 98th Battalion in West Bank areas.
In Jerusalem, he pointed to the deployment of hundreds of police, intelligence, and border guard elements, in addition to incursions in towns surrounding the city, including Anata and Hizma, and the closure and opening of gates and checkpoints according to the movement of settlers, according to him.
He added that international crossings are also closed in conjunction with Jewish holidays.
