Amman, Aug. 31 (Petra) -- The Ministry of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs on Monday condemned the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif by far-right Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and groups of extremist settlers under the protection of the Israeli occupation police.
It called the latest breach of the holy compound a blatant violation of the historical and legal status quo at Al-Haram Al-Sharif, a desecration of its sanctity, an escalation, and unacceptable provocation.
Ministry spokesperson Fuad Majali reiterated Jordan’s absolute rejection and strong condemnation of the recurrent storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by extremist ministers, officials, and settlers, their provocative practices, and the Israeli occupation police’s facilitation of repeated incursions.
He said such actions are a flagrant violation of international law and international humanitarian law and an unacceptable reckless attempt to impose new realities at Al-Aqsa Mosque by seeking to divide it temporally and spatially.
Majali warned of the consequences of the repercussions of ongoing incursions and violations against Muslim and Christian holy sites, and against the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its holy sites, reaffirming that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem or its Muslim and Christian holy places.
He said the entire 144-dunum area of Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif is exclusively a place of worship for Muslims and that the Jerusalem Awqaf and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, affiliated with Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, is the legal authority with exclusive jurisdiction over managing all affairs of Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif and regulating entry to it.
The spokesman called on the international community to take a firm stance to compel Israel, as the occupying power, to halt its violations against Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem and all provocative actions by Israeli officials and extremists, which constitute a continuation of the Israeli government’s policy and its dangerous escalation in the occupied West Bank.
//Petra// AO
