Türkiye slams storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by radical Israelis

ANKARA

The storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by hundreds of radical Israelis, including ministers, will “further escalate tensions” in the region, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.

“The storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by hundreds of radical Israelis, including ministers, under police protection is a provocation that violates the historical status of Jerusalem and will further increase escalation in our region,” a ministry statement said.

The statement added that “this provocative act” showed again that Israel has no “intention of reaching peace.”

It urged the global community to take urgent action to stop the Israeli government’s atrocities in Gaza and to “prevent such actions that threaten the stability of our entire region.”

Earlier, approximately 2,250 illegal Israeli settlers as well as Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, his fellow Otzma Yehudit party minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf and Knesset member of the Likud party Amit Halevi stormed into the complex to commemorate Tisha B'Av, an annual Jewish fast day that marks the occurrence of several disasters in Jewish history.

Ben-Gvir repeated his message that his policy is to allow Jewish prayer at the compound.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is considered the third holiest site in Islam. Jews refer to the area as the Temple Mount, believing it to be the location of two ancient Jewish temples.

The Palestinian Authority, Egypt and Jordan also slammed the Israeli minister over his raid.