Ankara, The Indonesia Post – Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen that Israel’s provocative actions against the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem are unacceptable.
“We consider the Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir’s provocative actions against Al Aqsa Mosque unacceptable,” Cavusoglu told Cohen by telephone, as stated in a statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry on Wednesday (4/1).
Recalling Turkey’s concern and hope for the Palestinian cause, Cavusoglu called for all kinds of provocative actions to be avoided, including the importance of preserving the status of Al Aqsa Mosque.
Israel’s newly appointed Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the Al Aqsa Mosque compound on Tuesday (3/1), despite being warned that such action would trigger uproar and a storm of condemnation from countries around the world.
For Muslims, Al Aqsa is the third holiest place in the world after the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque in Saudi Arabia.
Jews refer to the area as the Temple Mount, which they say was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.
Israel later annexed the entire city in 1980, a move never recognized by the international community. (mhn/bbs)
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