Malaysia condemns Israel's incursion into the Al-Aqsa Mosque

 

Israeli police secure the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as the Temple Mount, in the Old City of Jerusalem, Tuesday. Itamar Ben-Gvir, an ultranationalist Israeli Cabinet minister, visited the flashpoint Jerusalem holy site Tuesday for the first time since taking office in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new far-right government last week. The visit is seen by Palestinians as a provocation. - AP pic

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia strongly condemns the incursion into the Al-Aqsa Mosque and its courtyard on Tuesday by the Israeli regime.

The orchestrated incursion led by Israeli National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Israeli forces, was a clear provocation and aggression against the political status quo of Jerusalem and Al-Haram Al-Sharif, according to a Foreign Ministry's statement today.

Malaysia, it said calls upon the international community to hold the Israeli regime accountable for such an illegal act and demands the regime to cease immediately any provocation in the interest of peace and stability.

"Malaysia continues to stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine and reiterates the status of Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the holy site of the Muslim Ummah.

"Malaysia also reaffirms its unwavering support for the Palestinians and their cause to achieve freedom from the illegal Israeli occupation and realise their aspirations for an independent and sovereign State of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as their Capital," said the statement.

On Tuesday, Itamar Ben-Gvir entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex, a day after announcing he had postponed the visit amid warnings of unrest.

The visit to the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem was deemed as an "unprecedented provocation" and a "declaration of war" by Palestine and several Arab nations, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported Tuesday. -- BERNAMA