Israel’s hard-line Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir repeated a call for Jews to be allowed to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, drawing sharp criticism for inflaming tensions as ceasefire negotiators seek a deal to halt fighting in Gaza.
Asked during an interview if he would build a synagogue on the site if he could, Ben-Gvir replied “Yes, Yes.”
The Kingdom affirmed its categorical rejection of these extremist and provocative statements, and the ongoing provocations of Muslims around the world.
Saudi Arabia “reiterated the need to respect the historical and legal status of Al-Aqsa Mosque,” the statement read.
The Kingdom renewed its call on the international community to assume its responsibilities and put an end to the Palestinian humanitarian catastrophe, and activate serious mechanisms to hold Israeli officials accountable for the ongoing violations of international laws, norms and resolutions.The storming of Al-Azsa Mosque by Israeli extremists, led by Minister of National Security Ben Gvir, has been vehemently condemned by Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit.
Gheit accused the extremists of recklessly pushing the situation to the brink, deliberately inciting millions of Muslims around the world.
Gamal Roshdy, the secretary-general’s spokesman, said the storming was carried out under the protection of Israeli police, who transformed the Old City into a militarized zone and imposed severe restrictions on the entry of worshippers. As such, he added, the occupation government bore full responsibility.
Roshdy emphasized that repeated incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque violated the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and formed part of a systematic Israeli policy aimed at the site’s temporal and spatial division. He warned that exploiting religious sensitivities to score political points was a perilous and reprehensible tactic.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Arab Republic of Egypt said it condemned the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyards and the raising of the Israeli flag inside it.
Egypt stressed that such irresponsible and provocative acts constituted a violation of international law and the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem.
It also emphasized the necessity for the international community to play an active role in confronting such violations and stressed Egypt’s commitment to seeking a just, lasting and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue, including establishing an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and the restoration of the rights of Palestinian people.
