Dr. Erekat on attacks against Christian and Muslim Holy Sites in Occupied Jerusalem: “After 45 years of Israeli occupation, a culture of hatred and racism has become mainstream among Israelis”

Chief Palestinian Negotiator Dr. Saeb Erekat strongly condemned the new Israeli aggressions against Palestinian Christian and Muslim Holy Sites: “After 45 years of Israeli occupation, a culture of hatred and racism has become mainstream among Israelis. School textbooks and official statements advocating that Jerusalem should be exclusively Jewish, with total rejection of the Palestinian Christian and Muslim identity of the city, have paved the way for gangs of terrorists to attack Christian and Muslim holy sites”.

Speaking after the latest Israeli attack on the Convent of St. Francis in Jerusalem and the invasion of dozens of Israeli settlers to the Al Aksa Mosque compound, Dr. Erekat called upon the international community to “assume its duties and hold Israel accountable for its ongoing occupation and violations of international law. This culture of impunity that some countries have granted to Israel has allowed settlers to escalate their racist attacks against Palestinians without any legal accountability.”

During the past year alone, more than 60 Israeli attacks were perpetrated by Israeli settlers and occupation forces against the sanctity of Christian and Muslim holy sites in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.