UAE, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia condemned the latest storming of Al Aqsa Mosque by hundreds of Jewish settlers under the protection of Israeli forces.
On Sunday 430 extremist settlers staged a raid of the holy compound courtyards in occupied Jerusalem, in the latest breach of one of Islam’s holiest places.
On Tuesday the UAE condemned the act and reiterated its position on the need to provide full protection for Al Aqsa Mosque and halt any provocative violations taking place there.
In a statement by the foreign ministry UAE highlighted the need to respect the custodial role of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan over the holy sites and endowments in accordance with international law “and not to compromise the authority of the Jerusalem Endowment Administration and Al Aqsa Mosque.”
The Ministry also called upon Israeli authorities to take responsibility for reducing escalation and ending all attacks that would escalate tensions.
On Monday, the Saudi Foreign Ministry called Israeli actions “a blatant violation of all international norms and conventions, and a provocation to the feelings of Muslims across the world.”
And held Israeli forces fully responsible for the repercussions of such continued violations, urging the international community to assume its responsibilities to end the escalation, provide protection to civilians, and exert all efforts to end the conflict.
While Egyptian Foreign Ministry called on Israeli authorities to “immediately stop any actions that would provoke the feelings of millions of Muslims around the world and stoke violence in the occupied Palestinian territories.”
“Peace Day Efforts” initiative
On Monday Saudi Arabia, EU, and the Arab League announced the “Peace Day Efforts” initiative, an initiative to revitalize the peace process in the Middle East.
The meeting was held in New York and was attended by the Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the deputy prime minister of Jordan Ayman Safadi, and the Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan.
“The two-state solution must return to the forefront, we now see a continuing escalation in the occupied territories,” Prince Faisal said after the meeting.
The initiative comes in alliance with the Arab Peace Initiative, a comprehensive proposal for ensuring a stable future in the region that would allow development and prosperity.