Amman: The 1969 arson attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque was one of the most heinous crimes carried out under Israeli protection, the head of Jordan's Department of Palestinian Affairs said Saturday.
According to Jordan News Agency, Director General Rafiq Khirfan stated, marking the 57th anniversary of the attack, that the burning of the holy site on August 21, 1969, was not an isolated incident but a full-fledged crime aimed at erasing the holy city's Arab and Islamic identity. He added that the event remains a wound in the collective memory of the Arab nation and serves as proof of ongoing Israeli violations against Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.
Khirfan said the attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque remains an event that cannot be forgotten, describing it as one of the most serious Israeli violations against Muslim holy sites. He recalled that Denis Michael Rohan set fire to the Qibli prayer hall inside the mosque under the protection of the Israeli occupation.
He noted that the painful anniversary comes while the situation is becoming increasingly bleak amid continuing Israeli violations of international laws and norms, which further increases the international community's responsibility to take immediate and serious action to halt the violations and protect the Palestinian people and their holy sites.
Khirfan stressed that Jordan, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II, who holds the historic Hashemite custodianship over Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, has never wavered in fulfilling its role in protecting Al-Aqsa Mosque and preserving its Arab and Islamic identity through the King's firm positions in international forums and his continued support for Jerusalemite institutions.
He reaffirmed the continued direct Hashemite patronage of maintenance and restoration works at Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, describing them as an extension of the Hashemites' historic role over many decades.
Khirfan emphasized that the Hashemite custodianship will remain a shield protecting Al-Aqsa Mosque and that Jordan will continue to stand as a bulwark against all attempts at Judaization and attacks, supporting the steadfastness of Jerusalem's residents and upholding the Palestinian people's just and legitimate rights.