UNSC session supports existent status quo in Al-Aqsa Mosque holy site

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
6 Jan 2023 15:23
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A UN Security Council meeting concluded noting the importance of maintaining the existent status quo at the Al-Aqsa Mosque holy site following repeated desecrations by "Israel".

Al-Aqsa Mosque holy site Al-Quds on January 3, 2023 (Reuters)

The United Nations Security Council convened an emergency meeting Thursday at the request of Palestinians, as well as Islamic and non-Islamic nations, to protest the storming of the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque by extremist Israeli Police Minister Ben-Gvir, amid demands for an end to the extremist Israeli provocations and respect for the "historic status quo at the site."

Ben-Gvir, stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque, protected by a large number of Israeli occupation forces (IOF), causing worldwide condemnation, as well as warnings from Resistance forces across West Asia.

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian UN envoy, argued that "Israel" acted "with absolute contempt." Furthermore, Mansour stressed the need for the UNSC to take action and asked the council "What red line does 'Israel' need to cross for the Security Council to finally say, enough is enough?”

As reported by Press TV, Khaled Khiari, a senior UN political affairs official, explained that Ben-Gvir is the first MK to desecrate the holy site since 2017.

According to Khiari, "While the visit was not accompanied or followed by violence, it is seen as particularly inflammatory given Mr. Ben-Gvir's past advocacy for changes to the status quo."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also encouraged both sides to avoid actions that might exacerbate tensions in and near holy sites throughout the occupied Palestinian territory.

The US deputy UN ambassador, Robert Wood, stated, as cited by Press TV, that Washington is "concerned by any unilateral acts that exacerbate tensions,” and called for the “preservation of the status quo with relation to the holy places.”

Notably, the Israeli representative dubbed the session as "absurd" and argued that the session was absolutely unnecessary.

Mansour expressed his comfort following the 2 hours session in what he described as "unanimity [of the council] to defend the status quo."

Israeli media reports on Ben-Gvir's decision to storm Al-Aqsa

Knesset Member Avigdor Lieberman said that Ben-Gvir pays no mind to Netanyahu, like all coalition members, adding that "Hamas knows that Netanyahu is a coward."

Diplomatic affairs analyst Barak Ravid, in an interview with Israeli news website Walla, argued that Netanyahu cannot influence Ben-Gvir and that it is naive to believe otherwise. He further added that Ben-Gvir controls the police and border guards and that such an event, at this time, is unlikely to pass quietly, especially given Ben-Gvir's history.

In turn, MK Almog Cohen of the Jewish Power party said that Ben-Gvir stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque with Netanyahu's approval.

Israeli Channel 7 cited MK Gilad Karif noting he condemned Ben-Gvir's storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque, and said that this came to prove that Ben-Gvir's top priority is to push for an "extremist ideology" and "nationalism."

MK Naama Lazimi also added that what Ben-Gvir did was "incitement that will lead to violence and bloodshed." Concurrently, the Likud confirmed that Netanyahu did not attempt to stop Ben Gvir from storming Al-Aqsa.