Arab League Condemns Israeli Minister's Provocative Invasion of Al-Aqsa Mosque
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Cairo, Dec 27 (NationPress) The Secretary-General of the Arab League (AL), Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, issued a strong condemnation of Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's incursion into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem, which he undertook alongside a group of hardline settlers, describing it as a blatant provocation.
Aboul-Gheit remarked that the incursion is a blatant provocation aimed at inflaming emotions and escalating the situation, as reported by the pan-Arab organization based in Cairo.
According to the AL chief, Ben-Gvir's entry into this sacred site under the protection of the Israeli occupying police underscores the Israeli government's antagonism towards peaceful coexistence, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
He pointed out that this incident is part of the ongoing violations by the Israeli government of the historical status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque, recognized as the third-holiest site in Islam, is administered by the Jerusalem Awqaf Department, an Islamic religious trust linked with Jordan. The site is revered by Jews as the Temple Mount and has been a longstanding flashpoint for violent clashes between Jews and Muslims.
Aboul-Gheit emphasized that Israel's rejected and condemned policies are systematically destroying all prospects for peaceful coexistence among the religions in the region.
Earlier that day, Ben-Gvir stated that he had visited the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and “prayed,” which violated the long-standing status quo that allows non-Muslims to visit the hilltop compound but prohibits them from praying there.
The Al-Aqsa compound in Jerusalem's Old City is considered Islam’s holiest site after the mosques in Makkah and Madinah and stands as a vital symbol of Palestinian national identity.
On Thursday, the Saudi ministry also condemned the actions of Israeli occupation forces advancing in southern Syria following the fall of Bashar Al-Assad’s regime in early December.
“The continuation of Israeli military operations in Syria is an effort to undermine Syria’s chances of achieving security and stability,” the ministry stated in its announcement.
