An Israeli government minister was chastised by Ankara on Sunday for leading a Jewish prayer on the east Jerusalem Al-Aqsa compound.
Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir openly led a Jewish prayer on Sunday at the mosque’s compound, which is located on the Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism and the third-holiest site in Islam. This was a highly contentious move.
“We strongly condemn the raid carried out on the Al-Aqsa Mosque by certain Israeli ministers, under the protection of Israeli police and accompanied by groups of Israeli settlers,” the Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement.
“The security of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the preservation of Jerusalem’s sacred identity are not only regional priorities but also a primary responsibility on behalf of humanity’s collective conscience,” it said.
Israel and Jordan, the site’s custodian, have a long-standing arrangement that forbids Jewish religious ceremonies within the enclosure.
Over the past few years, Jewish tourists, including members of Israel’s parliament, have frequently broken the “status quo” agreement.
