EU, OIC condemn Ben-Gvir's storming, provocations at Al-Aqsa Mosque
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Coinciding with the occupation's aggression in Gaza and the West Bank, approximately 2,000 settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque to mark the "destruction of the temple" anniversary.
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Israeli occupation Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir speaks during a rally on October 26, 2023. (AFP)
The European Union issued, on Wednesday, a strong condemnation of Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's provocations and his call to undermine the status quo of the holy sites in occupied al-Quds.
Josep Borrell, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, reiterated in a post on X that the EU upholds the call made by European Council leaders in June to preserve the status quo of the holy sites.
The EU strongly condemns the provocations by Israeli Min. Ben-Gvir who, during his visit to the Holy Sites, advocated for the violation of the Status Quo.
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) August 13, 2024
The EU reiterates its June #EUCO Leaders call for the Status Quo to be upheld, incl. with respect to Jordan’s special role.
In the same context, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) strongly condemned the incursion into the Al-Aqsa Mosque by Itamar Ben-Gvir, along with hundreds of settlers.
The OIC denounced the desecration of the Mosque’s courtyards and the restrictions placed on worshippers' entry, labeling these actions as a provocation to Muslims worldwide and a blatant violation of international law and relevant UN resolutions.
The OIC also cautioned against the ongoing Israeli occupation policies aimed at altering the Arab and Islamic identity of al-Quds, emphasizing that "Israel", as the occupying power, has no sovereignty over the occupied city and its sacred sites. The organization reaffirmed that the Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif, in its entirety, is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims.
Additionally, the OIC urged the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, to take responsibility for halting these severe and recurring violations of the sanctity of holy sites and the freedom of worship. The OIC also stressed the need for an immediate and complete cessation of Israeli aggression and called for international protection for the Palestinian people.
Ben-Gvir storms Al-Aqsa Mosque with hundreds of settlers
Hundreds of settlers, including Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, raided the courtyards of the al-Aqsa Mosque on Tuesday under the protection of occupation police forces.
The Islamic Endowments Department in al-Quds reported that 2,200 settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque since morning, marking what is known as the anniversary of the "destruction of the temple."
Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir storms the courtyards of #alAqsa Mosque, while Israeli occupation police block worshipers from accessing the mosque. pic.twitter.com/r3XYIcGNMS
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) July 18, 2024
At the time, Al Mayadeen's correspondent in occupied Palestine indicated that the settlers raised the entity's flag inside Al-Aqsa Mosque at Bab al-Silsila while carrying out provocative tours inside the holy mosque.
During the storming, occupation forces obstructed Palestinian worshippers from entering the courtyards of the Mosque, deploying large forces at its gates to facilitate the settlers’ incursions.
The occupation police transformed the Old City of occupied al-Quds into a heavily fortified military zone, deploying hundreds of officers at the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque, and enforcing stringent military measures at both the mosque’s entrances and throughout the Old City.
The big picture
The storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque coincides with over 10 months of Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip, which has resulted in tens of thousands of martyrs and injuries. Additionally, it aligns with a surge in Israeli violence and attacks on West Bank cities, which have claimed hundreds of lives amid the ongoing war.
On July 18, Ben-Gvir and a bandwagon of settlers stormed the sacred Al-Aqsa Mosque under heavy protection from Israeli police officers and occupation forces.
Ben-Gvir made his way into the compound through the al-Mughrabi gate and walked through the eastern quarter, accompanied by a large number of Israeli officers. Concurrently, Israeli authorities banned all Muslim worshipers from entering the compound.
⚡️🇮🇱BREAKING:
— Suppressed News. (@SuppressedNws) August 13, 2024
After a day filled with desecration of Al-Aqsa, right now israeli settlers perform religious rituals in front of the Western Wall. pic.twitter.com/C7pAIMQkyG
This was the third time that Ben-Gvir provoked Palestinians in less than a year by storming the holy site with other Israeli settlers under IOF protection.
On a related note, earlier this month, the Israeli occupation banned occupied al-Quds' Grand Mufti and preacher of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, from entering Palestine's holiest mosque for six months.
Sheikh Sabri's defense attorney, lawyer Khaled Zabarqa, said the occupation's court issued the decision on Thursday, following his detention and release last Friday.
He was arrested on August 2 after Israeli occupation forces (IOF) raided his home in the al-Sawana neighborhood in occupied al-Quds and was taken to the Israeli al-Moskobiya (Moscovia) detention center in the city.
Why it matters
After "Israel's" occupation of East al-Quds began in 1967, it made an arrangement that allowed Jews to perform rituals at the courtyard of the al-Buraq Wall. Non-Muslims could visit Al-Aqsa during certain hours but were prohibited from performing rituals there.
While the Israeli occupation government claims this is its official position, Israeli ministers have been going to the extremes to challenge this status quo. Notably, in 2022, Ben-Gvir often advocated making Al-Aqsa exclusively Jewish.
According to the agreement, Jews are permitted to visit but not perform rituals at the Mosque. However, in recent years, the increasing number of Israeli settlers, some performing provocative rituals or accompanied by Israeli occupation forces, has heightened longstanding Palestinian concerns that "Israel" intends to occupy the holy site.
