PA says closure of Temple Mount (to Muslims) a "war crime".and a "declaration of war" )(update)

Israeli police closed the Temple Mount altogether today for the first time, perhaps the first time in history.

It looks a lot better than usual

The Palestinian Authority is condemning the closure.

The head of the State of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas said that Jerusalem and the Islamic and Christian holy sites are a red line whose compromise will not be accepted.

Nabil Abu Rudeineh, the official spokesman for the presidency, said "we hold the Israeli government responsible for the dangerous escalation in the occupied city of Jerusalem, which peaked with the close the Al-Aqsa Mosque, on Thursday morning."

He said that this decision by Israel to close the Al-Aqsa Mosque for the first time is is a blatant challenge and grave act, which will lead to more tension and instability and the creation of a negative and dangerous atmosphere.

Abu Rudainah said that the state of Palestine will take all legal measures to hold Israel accountable, and to stop these repeated attacks.

He called for the international community to take immediate action to stop this aggression, because the continuation of the Israeli aggression and dangerous escalation is tantamount to a declaration of war on the Palestinian people and their sanctities and the Arab and Islamic nations.

A separate article from the official PA Wafa news agency says that the closing of the Mount is a war crime!

Professor of International Law, Dr. Hanna Issa said that the closure of the occupation forces of the Al-Aqsa Mosque to the entire congregation on Thursday is a war crime.

Issa, who also serves as the Secretary General of the Islamic Christian support of Jerusalem and holy sites, said in a press statement: "this occupation's actions are contrary to the principles and rules of international humanitarian law, as the Al-Aqsa Mosque falls under the provisions of the Hague Agreement of 1899, and 1907, as they apply the provisions of the fourth Geneva Conventions of 1949, and its protocols, as part of East Jerusalem, which Israel occupied in 1967, in addition to the applicability of the Hague Convention for the protection of cultural property during armed conflicts of 1954."

As usual, these are lies. In fact, the Muslims' firing small rockets from within the Al Aqsa Mosque is the only violation of international law I could find:

1. The High Contracting Parties undertake to respect cultural property situated within their own territory as well as within the territory of other High Contracting Parties by refraining from any use of the property and its immediate surroundings or of the appliances in use for its protection for purposes which are likely to expose it to destruction or damage in the event of armed conflict; and by refraining from any act of hostility, directed against such property.

2. The obligations mentioned in paragraph 1 of the present Article may be waived only in cases where military necessity imperatively requires such a waiver.

It sounds more like Israel is obligated to stop Muslims from using the mosque as a headquarters to incite and fight from.

So to sum it up:

• Jews who want to worship on their holiest site are "extremist storming settlers" who must be stopped in the interests of peace.
• Muslims who use the Al Aqsa Mosque to praise terror and to stockpile incendiary devices are peaceful worshippers who must have free access.
• A Muslim-only Temple Mount is desirable.
• Keeping it open it to all faiths is a declaration of war.
• Blocking Jews from worshipping there is necessary for peace.
• Blocking Muslims from worshipping there is a war crime.

Virtually the entire world agrees with every single one of these contradictory bullet points. Then again, these points aren't inconsistent if you believe that Muslims have religious rights and Jews do not.

UPDATE: Here we see Mahmoud Abbas' incitement that led to the shooting of Yehuda Glick:

(h/t Yoel)