The US, the UK, and Jordan, among others, have expressed shock and concern about the incident.
Israel’s far-right Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque on Thursday morning, while joined by a group of Jewish extremists.
The Ben-Gvir-led delegation was protected by a large Israeli security force.
This is the third time that the extremist Israeli politician storms Al-Aqsa since he joined the rightwing government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the beginning of 2023.
The US, the UK, and Jordan, among others, have expressed shock and concern about the incident.
Egypt: Al-Aqsa is Purely Islamic Endowment
In a statement, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry stressed that “the successive Israeli raids into Al-Aqsa Mosque and attempts to divide it temporally and spatially will not affect its legal and historical status quo, that Al-Aqsa is a purely Islamic endowment and a place of worship for Muslims.”
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry called on the Israeli authorities “to immediately stop these provocative and escalatory actions, which only lead to inflaming sentiments and fueling the existing state of tension in the occupied territories.”
It warned of the dangerous consequences of these “irresponsible practices” on the security and stability of the entire region.
Ben-Gvir at It Again: Extremist Minister Storms Al-Aqsa Mosque
Qatar: Flagrant Violation of International Law
In a press statement, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it considers this a flagrant violation of international law and the Hashemite Custodianship of the holy sites in occupied Jerusalem, warning of the escalatory policy adopted by the Israeli government in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
It also stressed that the attempts to prejudice the religious and historical status of Al-Aqsa Mosque are not only an attack on the Palestinians but also on millions of Muslims around the world.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry held the Israeli occupation authorities solely responsible for the cycle of violence that will result from these repeated incursions into the blessed Al Aqsa Mosque, calling on the international community to take urgent action to stop these attacks.
Oman: International Community Must Assume Responsibility
The Omani Foreign Ministry expressed the Sultanate of Oman’s condemnation of Israel enabling Ben-Gvir to storm the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of the occupation forces.
The statement called on the international community to assume its responsibilities towards securing the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, ending the occupation, and achieving a just and comprehensive peace.
Jordan Warns of Grave Repercussions
A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Sinan Majali, said in a statement that the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by an Israeli cabinet member and violating its sanctity.
Majali cautioned that the ongoing unilateral measures and breaches on holy sites could lead to further escalation.
Majali also stressed the right of the State of Palestine to sovereignty over the occupied city of East Jerusalem, and that Israel, the occupying power, has no right or sovereignty over the city and its Islamic and Christian holy sites.
UK Calls for Respect Status Quo
The United Kingdom expressed concerns following the provocative visit by Israeli ministers to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem, affirming its support for the historic status quo at the holy site.
“We are also concerned by the provocative visit and inflammatory language used by Israeli ministers at the Haram al-Sharif,” the British Consulate in Jerusalem said in a tweet.
“We reaffirm our support for the historic status quo and Jordan’s role as custodians.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXOulPMnpWo&t
Kuwait: Provocation for Millions of Muslims around the World
The State of Kuwait has categorically condemned the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem by Ben-Gvir.
Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry said in a press release that “this fresh provocative act represents a continuous breach of international humanitarian law and international charters.”
It reiterated Kuwait’s utter condemnation of these escalatory policies that provoke the sentiments of millions of Muslims across the world.
Morocco Calls for Preserving Status Quo
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates said in a statement that the Kingdom of Morocco, whose King Mohammed VI chairs the Jerusalem Committee, “condemns the persistence of some Israeli officials in storming the Al-Aqsa Mosque and its courtyards with the participation of some extremists.”
Morocco reiterated its complete rejection of all unilateral actions aimed at undermining calm efforts and called for preserving the legal and historical status quo in and avoiding all forms of escalation or provocation.
Watch: Colonial Israeli settlers gather in the vicinity of Al-Aqsa Mosque gates this morning. pic.twitter.com/VCPTFoJH4q
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) July 28, 2023
US: Completely Unacceptable
The US has expressed its concerns about Ben-Gvir’s provocative visit to the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
“We absolutely are concerned by today’s visit to Haram al-Sharif in Jerusalem,” Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, Vedant Patel, told reporters.
“We underline Jordan’s special role in Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem,” Patel added. “Any unilateral action or rhetoric that deviates or jeopardizes the status quo is completely unacceptable.”
(PC, WAFA)
