Arab States Condemn Israeli Minister’s Visit to Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound

 

Eight countries say the visit violated the site's historic and legal status and warn it could further escalate regional tensions.

Several Arab and Muslim-majority countries have strongly condemned the visit by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and hundreds of Israeli visitors to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, describing the move as provocative and a violation of the site's long-standing status.

In a joint statement issued on Thursday evening, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, and Indonesia said the visit represented a clear breach of the historical and legal status of Al-Aqsa Mosque and warned that it could further inflame tensions across the region.

The statement reaffirmed support for Jordan’s custodianship over the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem and called for respect for the existing arrangements governing the Al-Aqsa compound.

The ministers also urged efforts to prevent any attempts to alter the site's historical or legal status, called for an end to unilateral and provocative actions that could threaten regional peace and stability, and stressed the importance of complying with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions concerning Jerusalem.

The joint statement came after Ben Gvir entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound alongside hundreds of Israeli visitors, a move that drew condemnation from Palestinians, Jordan, and a number of Arab and Muslim countries.

The Israeli government had not immediately responded to the joint statement.