Israeli minister storms Al-Aqsa mosque breaching "status quo"

Jerusalem: Israeli far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, along with others, entered the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque compound here and offered prayers, flouting a decades-old “status quo” arrangement, which prohibits Jews from doing so. The “status quo”, overseen by a Jordanian religious foundation, allows Jews to visit the compound but prohibits them from offering prayers. However, this “status quo” arrangement is fragile.

It is widely seen that the right-wing minister of the Zionist nation, who is committing genocide against Muslims in Gaza, could be making some sort of a statement. This happened when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a direct order to start the complete occupation of Gaza.

Ben-Gvir, who led a group of Jewish people into the compound for prayers, renewed his demand for Israel to declare sovereignty over Gaza.

Muslim nations and the international Muslim community condemned the Zionist minister's conduct. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s spokesperson released a statement saying that the Gvir “crossed all red lines”.

“The international community, specifically the US administration, is required to intervene immediately to put an end to the crimes of the settlers and the provocations of the extreme right-wing government in Al Aqsa Mosque, stop the war on the Gaza Strip and bring in humanitarian aid,” the statement said.

Jordan, who is the custodian of the sensitive site, condemned the Israeli minister’s move, saying it was an unacceptable provocation and a reprehensible escalation. Jordan said that Israel has no sovereignty over the Al-Aqsa complex.

Saudi Arabia denounced the incident, saying that such provocative practices by Israeli officials against mosques fuel conflict in the Middle East.

“The foreign ministry expresses the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s condemnation in the strongest terms of the repeated provocative practices by officials of the Israeli occupation authorities against al-Aqsa mosque,” a statement by Saudi Arabia read.

Pakistan also condemned the Israeli minister’s conduct.