Saudi Arabia on Thursday strongly condemned Israeli authorities for their provocative actions at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem, denouncing what it called repeated violations of the holy site.
Official Condemnation
The Saudi Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing the Kingdom's denunciation of what it described as repeated provocative practices carried out by officials of the Israeli occupation authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The statement highlighted the recent storming of the mosque by an Israeli official under the protection of occupation police, as well as another official raising the flag of the occupation authorities within the mosque's courtyards.
Details of the Incident
Earlier on Thursday, Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's far-right minister of national security, stormed into the courtyards of the mosque compound. This action coincided with thousands of Jewish nationalists parading through the streets of the walled city in celebration of Jerusalem Day, which marks Israel's military control of East Jerusalem during the 1967 war. On Wednesday, Yitzhak Wasserlauf, the minister of the Negev, Galilee and national resilience, toured the Al-Aqsa compound ahead of the nationalist event, which has become a show of force for Jewish activists and settler groups. Wasserlauf stated that Ben-Gvir was leading a revolution at the holy site. Both ministers belong to the far-right Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party.
Call for International Action
The Saudi ministry reaffirmed the Kingdom's categorical rejection of all actions that undermine the historical and legal status of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) and its holy sites. The statement, posted on social media platform X, stressed the Kingdom's call on the international community to put an end to such practices that violate international laws and norms. Saudi Arabia urged holding the Israeli occupation authorities accountable for their serious and ongoing violations against Islamic holy sites and innocent civilians in the State of Palestine.
