The armed wing of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas' own Fatah faction has declared war on Israel over what it said are attempts to lay the groundwork for the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem.
Fatah's Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade issued a statement on Tuesday decrying renewed visits by Jewish groups to the Temple Mount, calling such visits an "invasion...by settlers" that had no other purpose but to harm Muslim interests.
In response, the group threatened to green light a new wave of terrorism against Israel if the Jewish visits to the Temple Mount did not cease by Friday.
Hours later, Sheikh Mohammed Hussein, the Mufti of Jerusalem, got in on the game and declared that Israel was trying to destroy the Al Aqsa Mosque that occupies the southern portion of the Temple Mount.
Hussein labeled Israeli policy that says Jews have a right to visit the Temple Mount as "dangerous" and an "insult" to Islam.