(VOVWORLD) - Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, on Tuesday joined thousands of Israelis to pray at Al-Aqsa mosque, going against the Israeli government's restrictions on the Jews to access this mosque. His move immediately faced opposition from the global community.
 Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jews refer to the area as the Temple Mount, in Jerusalem (File photo: AFP/VNA) |
In a statement released on Wednesday, UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said the UN opposes any action to alter the status quo inside sacred sites. Al-Aqsa Mosque, like the other holy sites in Jerusalem, should be left to themselves and should be controlled by the existing religious authorities for the sites,” he said. Haq characterized recent actions as "unhelpful" and "unduly provocative".
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Minister Ben Gvir ignored the current status of Al-Aqsa, and urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to avoid such actions. He said these actions will only escalate tensions in this critical period, when all parties are focused on diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, the release of hostages, and creating conditions for regional stability.
The French Foreign Ministry urged Israel to respect the status of this sacred site of Muslims. The EU, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and Jordan also voiced their opposition to the above action.
The Al-Aqsa mosque is one of the most sacred sites in Islam and also a holy place for the Jews.