Türkiye approves Israeli decision to halt settler visits to Al-Aqsa Mosque

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) - Türkiye on Wednesday approved Israel's decision to halt entries, other than by Muslims, into Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem until the end of Muslims' holy month of Ramadan to relieve tension.

In a phone call, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen discussed the latest developments regarding the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Turkish diplomatic sources said.

The phone call came a day after a statement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on prohibition of Jewish visitors and tourists "from going up to the Temple Mount (Al-Aqsa Mosque complex) until the end of Ramadan."

Cavusoglu emphasized that provocations should not be repeated in the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The minister also said Türkiye will make every possible contribution to reduce the tension, according to the sources.

The tension escalated across the Palestinian territories after Israeli forces stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in East Jerusalem and forcibly removed worshipers last week.

The Israeli raids on the mosque triggered rocket fire from the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, with Israel retaliating with air and artillery shelling.

For Muslims, Al-Aqsa represents the world's third-holiest site. Jews, for their part, call the area the Temple Mount, saying it was the site of two ancient Jewish temples.

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