Saudi Arabia has led a refrain of condemnation following a go to on Tuesday through Israel’s far-proper countrywide safety minister to Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
The move, through firebrand Itamar Ben-Gvir, has enraged Palestinians, at the same time as americaA warned of steps that could damage the popularity quo.
The Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry issued a assertion wherein it denounced the “provocative motion” through the Israeli official.
Ben-Gvir’s go to to the web website online, below heavy safety, brought on a wave of condemnations through Arab states and companies who noticed the act as a flagrant violation of the sanctity of the location.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation defined the go to “as a part of Israel’s tries to alternate the present historic and felony popularity of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
The OIC introduced it taken into consideration the act “a provocation to the emotions of all Muslims and a flagrant violation of applicable worldwide resolutions.”
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh claimed the go to turned into an try to show the mosque complex “right into a Jewish temple.”
Addressing his Cabinet, Shtayyeh referred to as on Palestinians to “confront the raids into Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry stated it “strongly condemns the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque through the extremist minister Ben-Gvir and perspectives it as an exceptional provocation and a risky escalation of the conflict.”
The Foreign Ministry of Egypt — which serves as a key mediator in Gaza — warned “of the terrible effects of such movements on safety and stability” withinside the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the broader region.
Jordan stated it condemned withinside the “severest of terms” the go to to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and “violating its sanctity.”
Its Foreign Ministry introduced that the go to hostile worldwide regulation and “the anciental and felony popularity quo in Jerusalem.”
The UAE condemned Ben-Gvir’s “storming” of Al-Aqsa, at the same time as Kuwait issued a comparable assertion.
A White House National Security Council spokesperson referred to as on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to keep his dedication to holy webweb sites, and introduced: “The United States stands firmly for the maintenance of the popularity quo with admire to the holy webweb sites in Jerusalem.
“Any unilateral motion that jeopardizes the popularity quo is unacceptable.”
Ben-Gvir tweeted after his go to: “We are a central authority that doesn’t give up to the threats of Hamas.
“The Temple Mount (Al-Aqsa Mosque) is the maximum vital region for the human beings of Israel.
“We keep freedom of worship for Muslims and Christians, however the Jews additionally have the proper to the region and to head as much as it.
“We should address an iron fist in opposition to every body who threatens us.”
Palestinian Minister of Awqaf and Religious Affairs Hatem Al-Bakri stated that Israeli settlers had extended incursions into Al-Aqsa at some stage in December.
Israeli Army Radio said that the leader of the country’s safety enterprise Shin Bet and Israel’s police leader had given the inexperienced mild to Ben-Gvir’s trip.
Israel’s safety offerings raised their nation of alert following the go to after threats from Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
Palestinian factions referred to as at the human beings of the West Bank to boost their competition to the Israeli military and settlers in protection of Al-Aqsa.
They additionally referred to as at the Palestinian Authority to prevent safety coordination with the Israeli military.
Mukhaimer Abu Saada, a professor of political technology at Al-Azhar University in Gaza, informed Arab News that each Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir misled the Palestinians approximately the go to, which had taken region while there had been no Palestinians inner Al-Aqsa Mosque.
He informed Arab News: “I trust that Hamas will now no longer move for an armed escalation, however it is able to react not directly withinside the coming days, both through firing a missile or capturing on the Israeli forces deployed alongside the border with the Gaza Strip.
“If Ben-Gvir’s go to had taken region openly, it might were understood as a task to Hamas, and the scenario might were extra tough and complicated.”
A US Embassy spokesperson stated Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides “has been very clean in conversations with the Israeli authorities on the problem of retaining the popularity quo in Jerusalem’s holy webweb sites. Actions that save you which are unacceptable.”
Nabil Abu Rudeineh, the Palestinian presidential spokesman, stated Ben-Gvir’s go to turned into a task to the Palestinian human beings, the Arab nation, and the worldwide community.
A assertion from the United Kingdom stated: “We are involved through the go to to Haram Al-Sharif/Temple Mount through minister Ben-Gvir today.
“The UK stays dedicated to the popularity quo, and all should keep away from movements which inflame tensions and undermine the motive of peace.”
Ben-Gvir’s go to got here simply days after he took workplace as countrywide safety minister, with powers over police.
Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third-holiest region in Islam and the maximum sacred web website online to Jews, who consult with the compound because the Temple Mount.
Under a long-status agreement, non-Muslims can go to the web website online at precise instances however aren’t allowed to hope there.
In latest years, a developing quantity of Jews, maximum of them Israeli nationalists, have covertly prayed on the compound.
Situated withinside the walled Old City of Israel-annexed East Jerusalem, the compound is run through Jordan’s Waqf Council, with Israeli forces running there and controlling access.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces shot lifeless Adam Ayad, 16, at some stage in their incursion into the Dheisheh refugee camp in Bethlehem early on Tuesday.
It added to 3 the quantity of Palestinians killed through Israeli forces withinside the first 3 days of 2023. A complete protest strike has been introduced in Bethlehem.
