Egypt's Al-Azhar condemned on Monday the Israeli government's inauguration of a religious path under Palestinian houses in East Jerusalem on Sunday. "Al-Azhar strongly condemns the Zionist attempts to change the identity of the city of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa mosque as well as its adjacent areas," said the Sunni Islamic institution. "The latest of these attempts was the inauguration of what the Zionist entity called the 'Pilgrimage Path', and Al-Azhar rejects those outrageous violations of international laws and treaties" read the statement. The statement called on all countries of the world to hold their responsibility for the Palestinian cause. The mosque is considered the third holiest religious site to Muslims. Israeli authorities refer to the area that encompasses Al-Aqsa Mosque as the Temple Mount, and say it was the site of two prominent Jewish temples during the ancient period. The event of inaugurating the path on Sudany was attended by the US ambassador to Israel David Friedman and the White Middle East peace envoy Jason Greenbal. Both were recorded breaking down a wall of a Palestinian house located in the East Jerusalem in order to restore the alleged old Jewish pilgrimage path. The Palestinian authority and Jordan both condemned the event. The Palestinian authority called it another attempt to falsify history and an attempt to change the identity of Jerusalem. The Jordanian foreign ministry also slammed the Israeli event saying that it would increase tensions in the region, adding it was an another attempt to change the identity of the city.
