UAE Condemns Al Aqsa Compound Incursion by Israeli Minister and Settlers

The UAE has strongly condemned the storming of Al Aqsa mosque compound by Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's Minister of National Security, alongside hundreds of settlers and warned against "provocative escalation" and "unacceptable" acts of extremism.

The UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on the Israeli government to assume full responsibility for the incident, condemn hostile acts and hold all those involved accountable. MoFA's statement, which was published on Tuesday evening, said that "the continued attacks and incitement to hatred and violence constitute a systematic extremist campaign that not only targets the brotherly Palestinian people but also threatens social peace and risks further escalation".

The ministry also emphasised the need to respect the historical and legal status quo of the site. Furthermore, the statement highlighted that Jordan's custodial role of the site needed to be respected, alongside the authority of the Jerusalem endowment that manages the affairs of Al Aqsa Mosque.