Arab countries condemn Israeli settler incursion into Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque

By Ahmed Asmar

ANKARA (AA) – Condemnations have poured in from across the Arab world following an incursion by Israeli ministers and illegal settlers into Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem.

Over 2,200 illegal settlers forced their way into the flashpoint site on Tuesday to commemorate Tisha B'Av, an annual Jewish fast day that marks the occurrence of several disasters in Jewish history.

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Negev, Galilee and National Resilience Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf were among the intruders.

Jordan denounced the settler incursion as a “blatant violation of international law and the historical and legal status of Jerusalem.”

The Foreign Ministry reiterated that the Al-Aqsa Mosque is a “purely Muslim place of worship,” calling for a firm international action “to condemn these violations and breaches, and provide the necessary protection for the Palestinian people in light of the Israeli government’s continued aggression against the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.”

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry called on the international community to intervene to halt Israel’s violations against the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

"These irresponsible and provocative actions constitute a violation of international law and the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem, which requires working to stop these actions immediately and committing to preserving the legal status quo (in Al-Aqsa),” it added in a statement.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry called the settler incursion the latest example of Israel’s targeting of Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites.

Palestinian resistance group Hamas called the settler raid into Al-Aqsa Mosque a “provocation of Muslim sentiments.”

“The Israeli massacres in Gaza, killings in the West Bank, the systematic violations in Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa, and attempts to Judaize it pour oil on the fire in the region and pose a direct threat to regional and international peace and security,” it added in a statement.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is considered the third holiest site in Islam. Jews refer to the area as the Temple Mount, believing it to be the location of two ancient Jewish temples.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. In 1980, Israel annexed the entire city, a move that has never been recognized by the international community.

The Israeli army has killed nearly 40,000 people in a deadly offensive in the Gaza Strip since last Oct. 7 following a Hamas attack despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.