Amman, April 17 (Petra) – The Ministry of Foreign and Expatriates' Affairs on Thursday strongly condemned the storming of the al-Aqsa Mosque/al-Haram al-Sharif by members of the Israeli Knesset, coinciding with provocative actions carried out by extremist settlers during their incursions under the protection of Israeli occupation police.

In a statement, the ministry described the developments as a dangerous and unacceptable escalation, a flagrant provocation, and a violation of the sanctity of the al-Aqsa Mosque and the established historical and legal status quo.

The ministry's official spokesperson, Ambassador Sufian Qudah, affirmed Jordan’s absolute rejection and strong condemnation of the repeated incursions by Knesset members and large numbers of extremists into the al-Aqsa Mosque/al-Haram al-Sharif. He said such actions exacerbate tensions in the occupied Palestinian territory and constitute a clear violation of Israel’s obligations as the occupying power in Jerusalem, as well as a deliberate attempt to impose temporal and spatial division.

Qudah underscored that Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied city of Jerusalem or its Islamic and Christian holy sites.

He called on the international community to adopt a firm and unified stance to compel Israel, as the occupying power, to cease its continued violations and illegal practices targeting Islamic and Christian sites in Jerusalem and infringing on their sanctity.

Qudah reiterated that the entire 144-dunam area of the al-Aqsa Mosque is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims, and that the Jerusalem Endowments and al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, is the sole legal authority responsible for managing the compound and regulating access to it.

//Petra// AJ

17/04/2025 14:19:01