On Monday, Egypt slammed remarks made by Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir about erecting a synagogue inside Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
Egypt demanded that Israel legally adhere to the status quo at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and refrain from harming Islamic holy sites, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The ministry stressed that Israel must comply with its obligations as an occupying power and stop making provocative remarks that could further escalate regional tensions.
The ministry warned that such remarks could hinder efforts toward a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and pose a severe threat to the final settlement of the Palestinian issue. The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, holds sacred significance for both Muslims and Jews and has long been a flashpoint for deadly violence between the two sides.
Under the status quo, non-Muslim worshippers may visit the site in the heart of the Old City but are not permitted to pray there. In remarks to Israeli Army Radio earlier on Monday, Ben-Gvir said that “Jews can pray on the Temple Mount,” adding that under his term as national security minister, there will be “no discrimination” between Jews and Muslims.
However, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said, “There is no change in the status quo on the Temple Mount.”
