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Rabat – Arab states issued a series of condemning statements following the provocative visit of Israel’s far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to Al-Aqsa mosque.
The Israeli national security minister made a provocative visit on Tuesday to Al-Aqsa mosque, triggering concerns and frustration among Arab states and Palestinians.
Many countries have echoed Palestine’s concerns, stressing that Israel’s minister’s provocative move challenged the holy site’s status quo.
Saudi Arabia condemned the visit, describing it as a “provocative action” while Kuwait and the UAE used a similar statement, denouncing the storming of the Al-Aqsa mosque by the far-right minister.
The Jordanian government also joined the chorus of condemnation, stressing that the visit to the al-Aqsa mosque is a “violation” of the site’s “sanctity.”
Egypt joined the countries condemning the provocative visit, warning of the “negative consequences of such actions on security and stability” in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) echoed the sentiment in a similar statement, stressing that the far-right Israeli minister’s actions were a “provocation to the feelings of all Muslims and a flagrant violation of relevant international resolutions.”
In addition to Arab states, the US also condemned the far-right minister’s visit, calling on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to preserve their commitment to the holy sites.
“The United States stands firmly for the preservation of the status quo with respect to the holy sites in Jerusalem. Any unilateral action that jeopardizes the status quo is unacceptable.”
The new provocative act against occupied territories in Palestine comes amid a series of human rights violations by the Israeli government.
Israeli troops detained over 130 Palestinian journalists last year, according to the Journalist Support Committee and the prisoners’ Information Office.
During the same year, Israeli troops killed over 200 Palestinians, including more than 50 children in the occupied territories of East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza strip.
Qatari news outlet Al Jazeera said that 2022 was the “deadliest year” for Palestinians since 2006.
