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Türkiye on Monday strongly condemned the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by a far-right Israeli minister, calling the act a provocation and a violation of the site's sanctity.
In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said: “We condemn today's raid on Al-Aqsa Mosque by a member of the Israeli government, the raising of the flag of the occupying state by a member of Parliament at Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the provocative actions carried out by extremist settlers during a march in Jerusalem.”
The ministry described the actions as “a manifestation of Israel's ongoing policies of genocide and forced displacement against the Palestinian people,” and accused Israel of attempting to “change the historical and demographic identity of the occupied Palestinian territories and to annex them.”
It added that “such actions by the Netanyahu government will never change the historical and legal status of Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
According to reports, more than 1,500 Israeli settlers entered the mosque complex under police protection early Monday, performing provocative rituals in the courtyards of the holy site.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir led the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem to mark the anniversary of the Israeli occupation of the city. His actions triggered a wave of international condemnation.
“There are actually a large number of Jews flocking here, and it's a joy to see this,” Ben-Gvir said in a video filmed inside the mosque complex. “Today, Jews can pray and prostrate here. We thank God for that.”
Ben-Gvir was accompanied by several Israeli officials, including Minister of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience Yitzhak Wasserlauf, and Knesset member Yitzhak Kroizer.
Since the war on Gaza began on Oct. 7, 2023, Israeli authorities have imposed severe restrictions on Palestinian access from the occupied West Bank into East Jerusalem. Palestinians view these restrictions as part of a broader Israeli campaign to Judaize East Jerusalem and erase its Arab and Islamic identity.
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