Ismail Haneyya, the political bureau chairman of Hamas, on Monday afternoon briefed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the phone on the dangerous developments in Occupied Jerusalem and the courtyards of the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Haneyya also informed Erdogan of the zionist regime’s plans for the displacement of the indigenous Palestinian residents from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in Occupied Jerusalem, calling for an emergency Islamic summit to check the Israeli schemes.

Haneyya said: “Our decision and the decision of our people is to defend the Al-Aqsa Mosque and defend Jerusalem.”

He stressed that he would not allow in any way the Judaization of the holy city or altering its landmarks, pointing out that the real goal of the zionist occupation is to change the religious character of the city and to end the Islamic presence in it.

The Hamas leader appreciated Turkey's position on all official and popular levels in support of Al-Aqsa and the Jerusalemites.

For his part, Erdogan affirmed that his country has already started contacts with various international institutions and the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on the issue. (ILKHA)