Turkey condemns provocative Ben-Gvir's storming of Al-Aqsa

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
4 Jan 22:17
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Turkey's foreign minister says that the action of the Israeli police minister is 'unacceptable'.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

Ankara condemned Wednesday the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, calling the move provocative through Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu

"We find the provocative action of Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir against the Al-Aqsa mosque unacceptable," Cavusoglu told his Israeli counterpart in a telephone call, according to the former's office.

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

'A government of settlers, by settlers, against the #Palestinian people, shall not perish from the earth' Itamar 'Lincoln' Ben Gvir, Jerusalem 2023. pic.twitter.com/rwBa4ezU1L
— Itay Epshtain (@EpshtainItay) January 3, 2023

According to the Israeli Walla! news outlet, Netanyahu did not try to stop Ben-Gvir from storming Al-Aqsa hours after they discussed the issue, despite international warnings that the outcome of the provocation is unpredictable.

Relations between "Tel Aviv" and Istanbul deteriorated sharply in 2010 after the Israeli occupation captured the Mavi Marmara ship sailing out of Turkey to the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Ankara invited the Israeli Ambassador to Turkey to leave the country in May 2018.

Last August, less than two weeks after the Israeli occupation launched a brutal aggression on Gaza which left at least 49 martyrs, including 16 children, Turkey restored full diplomatic ties with “Tel Aviv”.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received the credentials of the newly appointed Israeli occupation ambassador to Ankara Irit Lillian last December.

According to the office of Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, Cavusoglu presented Ankara's "concerns".

"Mr. Cohen said Israel is committed to maintaining the status quo of the site, that this visit does not constitute a change of policy, and that freedom of worship for all religions in Jerusalem will be preserved," his office claimed.

My Flag My Identity

The new Israeli government is escalating its terror against Palestinians, the latest of which is the new Police Minister Ben-Gvir banning the raising of the Palestinian flag in public places, claiming that waving the Palestinian flag is an "act of terror". In addition, Ben-Gvir is in charge of the Israeli prison system, and he has plans to make things even worse for Palestinian prisoners, who already endure physical and psychological torture.