Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty and Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi warned of the severe Israeli escalation in the occupied West Bank and the ongoing violations of holy sites in Jerusalem, particularly following remarks from Israeli far-right Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir about building a Jewish synagogue at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
In a phone call on Monday, the two ministers strongly denounced Ben-Gvir’s extremist remarks as a violation of international law and unacceptable provocation that demands a definitive international response.
Earlier, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir once again called for Jews to be permitted to pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem.
In an interview with an Israeli army radio, Ben-Gvir enthusiastically responded “Yes, yes!” when asked if he would support the construction of a synagogue at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Abdelatty and Safadi voiced their countries’ firm rejection of these extremist policies, which they stressed aim to alter the historical and legal status of Jerusalem and its holy sites by enforcing a fait accompli, according to a statement by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
They also emphasized that the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque (Al-Haram Al-Sharif), with its entire area of 144 dunums, is a place of worship solely for Muslims.
Furthermore, both ministers underscored that the Department of Jerusalem Awqaf and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs of the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf, Islamic Affairs, and Holy Places is the sole legal authority responsible for managing all matters related to the holy mosque and controlling access to it.
Israeli war in Gaza
The two ministers also highlighted the urgent need to stop the Israeli aggression on Gaza and the importance of unified efforts to achieve this goal.
They stressed that securing an immediate ceasefire is the first crucial step toward de-escalating the dangerous tensions in the Middle East, which could potentially trigger a regional conflict.
For his part, Safadi reiterated Jordan’s backing for the efforts exerted by Egypt, Qatar, and the US to achieve an agreement that ensures a permanent ceasefire.
He affirmed the importance of this deal in securing humanitarian access, permitting the flow of adequate and unrestricted aid into the Gaza Strip, and addressing the ongoing health crisis.
The latest rounds of talks took place in Egypt this week, as both Hamas and Israeli delegations departed Cairo on Sunday after meetings with Egyptian and Qatari mediators.
Egypt, Qatar, and the US have been working for months to strike a deal to end the more-than-10-month-old Israeli war on the strip.
Since 7 October, Israel has killed and injured over 130,000 Palestinians, mostly children and women, damaged most of Gaza’s infrastructure, and displaced the majority of the population.
Source: Ahram Online
