🔻 Protest statement from Arab countries over the entry of an Israeli far-right minister and settlers into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound

Eight Arab and Islamic countries, in a joint statement, condemned the entry of an Israeli minister and the settlers into the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, and Indonesia, in a joint statement, strongly condemned the entry of Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s national security minister, and Israeli settlers into the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

In the statement, released on Thursday evening—on the first of Mordad—it said that this action is an “outright violation” of the existing historical and legal status in the Al-Aqsa Mosque and an unacceptable provocation that could lead to an escalation of tensions in the region.

The eight countries also emphasized the following:

- The necessity of respecting Jordan’s guardianship over the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem; - Opposition to any effort to change the historical and legal status of the Al-Aqsa Mosque; - The need to halt provocative and unilateral actions that could endanger the security and stability of the region; - Adherence to international law and United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Jerusalem.

The statement was issued after Itamar Ben-Gvir, along with hundreds of Israeli settlers, entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound; an action that has been met with widespread condemnation by Palestinians, Jordan, and a number of Arab and Islamic countries.