SA, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt denounce Ben-Gvir storming of Al-Aqsa

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
22 May 00:46

Foreign Ministries of multiple Arab countries denounced the storming of Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir of the Al-Aqsa Mosque dubbing it as a provocation and warned against it.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visits Al-Aqsa compound in Al-Quds's Old City May 21, 2023 (AP)

The Foreign Ministries of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Jordan condemned, in the strongest terms, Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque, in occupied Palestine's capital, Al-Quds, on Sunday.

It is worth noting that this was the second time that Ben-Gvir stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque since January of 2023, an action which was considered by Jordan, Egypt, and the Arab League a provocation.

The Saudi Arabian Foreign Ministry voiced its "strong condemnation and denunciation" of Ben-Gvir, adding that such "systemic practices are considered a flagrant infringement of all international norms and charters, and a provocation to the feelings of Muslims around the world."

As for Qatar, its Foreign Ministry labeled Ben-Gvir's actions as "a flagrant violation of international law."

Jordan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs has denounced the incursion of Israeli settlers, led Ben-Gvir, into the Al-Aqsa Mosque under heavy police protection.

Ben-Gvir stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in January, protected by a large number of Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF).

Following Ben-Gvir’s incursion into the holy site, more groups of Israeli settlers were allowed into the compound and stayed there for some time, where they performed rituals under police protection.

The Islamic Waqf, in charge of the daily affairs of the holy site, has repeatedly described the settlers' presence in Al-Aqsa Mosque as provocative, saying that Palestinian worshippers at Al-Aqsa feel uncomfortable with the presence of Israeli police and settlers touring the Islamic holy site.

On Thursday, groups of Israeli occupation settlers stormed the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque ahead of the provocative Flag March scheduled for that day.

The storming came at a time when the occupation forces tightened their measures in Al-Quds in preparations for the Flag March, and prevented Palestinians from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque to perform the morning prayers.

Ambassador Sinan Al-Majali, the spokesman for the Jordanian Foreign Ministry, called Ben-Gvir’s incursion into Al-Aqsa Mosque “a provocative, condemned, dangerous and unacceptable escalation, and represents a flagrant violation of international law, and of the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its holy sites.”

He warned that the ongoing Israeli attacks on Islamic and Christian holy sites in Al-Quds, combined with unilateral settlement expansion and daily incursions into Palestinian towns and villages, risk further escalation, which the international community must work to prevent.

The Ambassador stressed that “the Al-Aqsa Mosque, with its entire area of 144 dunums, is a pure place of worship for Muslims, and that the Al-Quds endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf [Islamic endowments] and Islamic Affairs is the legitimate authority with exclusive jurisdiction over all the affairs of Al-Aqsa Mosque, including deciding who can be there.”

Al-Majali urged "Israel" to halt all practices and abuses in the Al-Aqsa Mosque, as well as any efforts intended at altering the current historical and legal status quo at the holy site, immediately.