Ramallah: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Friday he was freezing contacts with Israel over new security measures at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, after deadly clashes erupted earlier in the day, AFP reported.
Abbas said in a speech that the freeze would stay in place until Israel lifted the measures at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound. “I, on behalf of the Palestinian leadership, announce… a freeze of all contacts with the occupation state on all levels until Israel commits to cancelling all the measures against our Palestinian people in general and Jerusalem and al-Aqsa mosque in particular,” Abbas said to applause from Palestinian officials. Abbas called the measures “falsely presented as a security measure to take control over al-Aqsa Mosque”.
HA/IINA
