UAE, Jordan's Foreign Ministers Condemn Israel's Itamar Ben-Gvir 'Storming' Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound

The foreign ministers of the UAE and Jordan have condemned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's recent visit to Al-Aqsa, saying the move was "a violation of the international law and a grave escalation."

Ben-Gvir visited the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Tuesday and posted a since-deleted video footage of himself strolling at the periphery of the site.

UAE's Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed and Jordan's Ayman Al Safadi said all breaches at the sensitive mosque should be stopped, adding that Israel should respect the historical and legal status quo and not compromise the authority of the Jerusalem Endowment Administration.

In a statement following the controversial visit, Sheikh Abdullah called out the Israeli minister for "storming" the mosque's courtyard, reiterating the importance of providing "full protection of Al-Aqsa Mosque and ending dangerous and provocative violations there."

He also urged Israeli authorities to "de-escalate" and not take any steps that might spark tension and instability in the region. The minister also reaffirmed the UAE Foreign Ministry's support of regional and international efforts to push the peace process forward in the Middle East.

For his part, Jordan Foreign Minister Safadi said the country condemns "in the severest of terms" the "storming" of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, saying it violated its sanctity. He also affirmed Jordan's commitment in doing everything it could to protect the holy sites, and ensure that they are respected.

Both Abdullah and Safadi also emphasized the need to encourage efforts to achieve a fair, comprehensive, and lasting peace based on the two-state solution and the founding of an independent Palestinian state in the 1967 borders, which designated the East Jerusalem as its capital. They also stressed the need to thwart all measures carried out by Israel that aim to undermine the two-state solution.

Following his visit, Ben-Gvir angered the Palestinians and drew a slew of negative reactions on social media Tuesday. The deleted video of his visit to the mosque compound showed him surrounded by a heavy security detail and accompanied by a fellow Orthodox Jew as he sauntered around the mosque. It was captioned: "The Temple Mount is open to all," which is the Jewish name for the site.

According to longstanding arrangements, Jews can visit the holy site, but cannot pray there. For the Muslims, who got exclusive prayer rights after Israel's annexation of East Jerusalem following the 1967 six-day war, the compound houses Islam's third-holiest site.

Ben-Gvir has visited the holy site several times, and advocated that Jews be permitted to pray at the compound. However, this visit is controversial as he is now a senior minister. The 2000 visit by then opposition leader, Ariel Sharon, had been one of the triggers for the second Palestinian intifada, which lasted till 2005.