Israeli Ambassador to the UAE Yossi Shelley. Photo courtesy of official X account of the ambassador
The ministry denounced the Israeli move as a serious provocation against Muslims, a flagrant breach of the sanctity of the site, and a threat to religious harmony and international peace, according to a report by the Emirates News Agency.
Repeated attacks by Israeli extremists amount to a systematic campaign not only against the Palestinian people but also the broader international community, the ministry said, urging the Israeli government to take full responsibility and hold the perpetrators accountable.
The ministry reaffirmed support for Jordanian religious authorities in managing the site under a decades-old arrangement, and stressed the need to protect religious sites, and respect international law and the long-standing historical status quo.
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, joined by Israeli settlers, "stormed" the compound on Monday. This marked Ben-Gvir's seventh visit to the site since joining Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government in 2022.
Non-Muslims are allowed to visit the site but are prohibited from praying there under the current status quo. Ben-Gvir, an ultranationalist politician, has long advocated for expanded Jewish access to the compound.
Chanting “Death to Arabs” and singing “May your village burn,” groups of young Israeli Jews made their way through Palestinian neighbourhoods of Jerusalem's Old City on Monday attacking the residents of the occupied city.
* This story was edited by Ahram Online.
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