Palestinian Media: Jews’ Western Wall Visits ‘Desecrate’ Muslim Site

Continuing with its narrative warfare, the Palestinian Authority’s media arm demonized Jews for observing a day of mourning for the destruction of the two Jewish Temples in Jerusalem.

The official news agency of the Palestinian Authority (PA), WAFA, said Jews visiting the Western Wall during Tuesday’s Tisha B’Av fast, the traditional day of mourning for the destruction of the Jewish Temples, “desecrated” a Muslim holy site.

“Last night, thousands of settlers desecrated the Plaza of Al-Buraq Wall, the western wall of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, and held a festive event, prayers and Talmudic ceremonies on the occasion of what is called the Ninth of Av according to the Hebrew calendar, or the so-called Destruction of the Temple,” WAFA reported, using the Arabic name for the Western Wall and describing the Jewish holy site as part of the mosque situated in the Temple Mount compound.

Tisha B’Av, the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av, is the most calamitous day in Jewish history, commemorating dramatic national catastrophes, and chiefly the destruction of the two Temples in Jerusalem.

WAFA added, “The settlers hurried to arrive to the Old City of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) in a number of processions, characterized by improper behavior, which was protected by occupation forces (Israeli security), until they reached the Al-Buraq Plaza. The imaginary-temple groups announced the organization of a large procession from one of the gates of the Old City.”

The PA media outlet’s claim that the Western Wall and Temple Mount are exclusively Muslim holy sites marks the latest example of what legal experts have described as “narrative warfare” against Israel and Jews, which generally involves absurd statements that directly contradict objectively verifiable facts universally accepted by credible historians and political scientists.

Such narrative warfare may involve claims that defy historical chronology or pronouncements that are factually impossible based on the historical record. The goal of such tactics is to rewrite history in a manner that severs the Jewish people’s ties to the land of Israel.

For example, in July the United Nations cultural body UNESCO passed a Palestinian-initiated resolution declaring Hebron’s Cave of the Patriarchs, one of Judaism’s holiest sites, an endangered Palestinian heritage site. Last October, UNESCO passed two separate resolutions denying Jewish ties to Jerusalem’s holy sites.

By: JNS.org and United with Israel Staff