The British foreign secretary on Wednesday "strongly condemned" Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s raid on the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem.
UK and Russia strongly condemns Israeli minister’s 'provocative' raid on Al-Aqsa Mosque complex
15 Aug 2024 - 10:17
The British foreign secretary on Wednesday "strongly condemned" Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s raid on the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem.
Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - Monitoring: According to IRNA's report on Wednesday night, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy wrote on his X social media post: “The UK strongly condemns Ben-Gvir’s deliberately provocative visit to Jerusalem’s Holy Sites”.
The post further said that “such actions undermine the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s role as a custodian of the sites and longstanding Status Quo arrangements”.
Meanwhile, Russia described the incident as "another provocative act" and expressed concern over an incursion by Ben-Gvir and Israeli settlers into Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied al-Quds.
"The Israeli authorities should not limit themselves to condemning such actions, but must take effective measures to stop this evil practice," a Russian foreign ministry statement said, adding that such actions violate the existing status of the holy places as was stipulated in a treaty between Jordan and Israel in 1994.
Earlier on Tuesday, far-right Israeli minister Ben-Gvir along with some 400 Zionists under the protection of the regime’s forces broke into Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is the third holiest place in Islam, saying that Jews should be allowed to pray at the compound.
Ben-Gvir’s remark and the desecration of Al-Aqsa drew strong condemnations from several countries, including Iran that said “the provocative” act showed the regime wanted to expand tension in the region.
“This evil act is also indicative that the leaders of the Israeli regime intend to fuel the fire of their warmongering by hurting the religious feelings of the Muslims in Palestine and the Islamic world”, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.
Under the exiting treaty, non-Muslims including Jews are not allowed to perform their rituals inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex. But Zionist settlers and some extremists Israeli ministers often defy the treaty by storming into the complex while regime’s forces blocking Muslims to enter the site to offer prayers./IRNA News
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