Israeli Minister Ben-Gvir
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said Egypt strongly denounced the incursion, highlighting that it constitutes a provocation of Muslims worldwide as it occurred on the third day of Eid al-Fitr.
Israel's far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City on Wednesday.
Furthermore, the foreign ministry warned that any Israeli attempts to infringe upon religious sanctities in Jerusalem are deemed illegal and illegitimate, emphasizing that the Al-Aqsa Mosque is an exclusively Muslim place of worship.
Such extremist measures constitute a flagrant violation of international law and a major source of instability in the region, the statement read.
Moreover, Egypt stressed the need to preserve the legal and historical status of religious sites in Jerusalem, highlighting that the international community's continued failure to curb Israeli violations and provocations and the community's lack of decisive action could fuel widespread anger and trigger escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the Palestinian resistance group Hamas have also slammed the storming of Ben-Gvir.
Israel, which has occupied east Jerusalem and its Old City since 1967, maintains the status quo that allows Jews and other non-Muslims to visit the compound during specific hours without praying there or displaying religious symbols.
In recent years, growing numbers of Jewish ultranationalists have defied the rules, including Ben Gvir, who publicly prayed there in 2023 and 2024.
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