Arab leaders decry Israeli violence on al-Aqsa mosque

The New Arab Staff
16 April, 2022

The Palestinian foreign ministry has responded saying that international condemnation has not gone far enough

Videos emerging on social media show Israeli forces smashing windows, firing teargas inside the mosque and performing violent arrests [Getty]

Arab states have condemned Israeli violence at Al-Aqsa mosque, which left scores of Palestinians seriously injured and nearly 400 arrested after Israeli forces stormed the mosque during dawn prayers on Friday.

Libya, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and others all released statements decrying Israel's actions - while the US state department called for all "sides to exercise restraint (and) avoid provocative actions and rhetoric".

The Saudi foreign ministry statement condemned “the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque, closing of its gates, and attacking defenceless worshipers inside the mosque and in its external squares”.

“Israeli authorities must respect the right of Palestinians to practice their religious rights and to stop any practices that violate the sanctity of al-Aqsa mosque,” said the Emirati foreign ministry in their statement.

The Libyan supreme council condemned “repeated incursions and transgressions” by Israeli forces at the mosque, calling the actions “a coordinated escalation, and a blatant assault on the mosque for its unique position in the Islamic consciousness”.

Al-Aqsa mosque is the third holiest site in Islam and has been under Israeli occupation since 1967.

Israeli soldiers stormed the heart of the al-Aqsa complex on Friday morning, firing live rounds, smashing windows and performing violent arrests on men, women and children - according to videos circulating on social media.

Meanwhile, the UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres called for “the status quo at the holy sites in Jerusalem to be upheld and respected”, in a statement made by his spokesperson in New York.

The status quo at al-Aqsa mosque has been years of weekly incursions into the holy site by occupying forces and extremist Israeli settlers.

The Palestinian ministry for foreign affairs welcomed the supportive statements but spoke out saying that many did not reflect the seriousness of Israeli transgressions at al-Aqsa on Friday.

“The statements, in their entirety, did not live up to the level of the event and expectations, and did not touch on the truth or reflect on what happened but rather hid behind general rhetoric condemning an anonymous party - and calling on everyone to calm down,” said the Ministry.

“This aggression must be condemned by everyone and not covered up in general statements that provide protection for these racist behaviours…What we witnessed was violent aggression against worshipers, against Muslims and humanity,” the statement added.

Cuba condemns Israeli assault on Al-Aqsa Mosque

TEHRAN, Apr. 16 (MNA) – In continuation of the widespread condemnation of the Israeli brutal assault on Palestinian worshippers in Al-Aqsa Mosque, the foreign minister of Cuba Bruno Rodríguez strongly condemned it.

"We condemn the Israeli attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque which hosted hundreds of worshipers, including women, the elderly and children,"  Bruno Rodríguez strongly wrote in a post on his Twitter account.

The Cuban foreign minister further expressed his country's solidarity with the people of Palestine and their cause.

Dozens of Palestinians have been martyred and hundreds injured since the beginning of this holy month of Ramadan in the Israeli regime's raid on Al-Aqsa.