Royal Committee for Jerusalem Affairs highlights cable car project’s threat to Al Aqsa Mosque

AMMAN — Secretary-General of the Royal Committee for Jerusalem Affairs Abdullah Kanaan on Thursday said that “the daily assaults on humans, land, and Islamic and Christian sanctities in Jerusalem is a pre-planned Zionist settlement approach”.

He highlighted that the cable car project that Israel is rapidly implementing aims to link the western and eastern parts of occupied Jerusalem to facilitate settler invasion of Al Aqsa Mosque, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Kanaan stressed that Israel recently notified 30 families residing in Baydoun neighbourhood in Silwan town, covering an area of approximately 8,725 square metres, to evacuate their homes within a two months period for the construction of a base for the cable car. 

He affirmed that the project is one of “several dangerous” settlement projects threatening the Arab identity and history of occupied Jerusalem, including the “Kidmat Yerushalayim” project which aims to expand the Western Wall area (Aqsa's Buraq wall).

All of these projects collectively contribute to Israel's efforts to alter the historical status quo of the city's identity, opposing all United Nations resolutions. This includes decisions by UNESCO that affirm that Al Aqsa Mosque, with its total area of 144 dunums, as the exclusive property of Muslims with no historical connection to Jews.

Kanaan noted that the international silence and Security Council’s inability to issue a resolution halting the Israeli war on Gaza and the aggression on the West Bank encouraged Israel to pursue a comprehensive Judaisation campaign across all occupied Palestinian cities and towns.

He confirmed that Jordan under the Hashemite leadership will continue to support the Palestinian cause, regardless of the associated costs and sacrifices endured.