Qatar demands ‘firm’ action to halt Israeli provocations at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa

By Ahmed Yousef

DOHA, Qatar (AA) – Qatar on Wednesday called on the international community to take “firm” action against Israeli provocations at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem.

In a statement, the Qatari Cabinet renewed Doha’s call on the international community “to take urgent and firm action to compel Israel to stop its violations and provocations, and implement the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly."

It also warned against "Israeli practices desecrating the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, Judaizing Jerusalem, changing its legal and historical status quo, expanding settlements, and the constant daily brutal attacks on Palestinians."

On Tuesday, Israel’s new National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the Al-Aqsa complex despite warnings that the move would stir unrest, drawing a storm of condemnations from countries across the world.

For Muslims, Al-Aqsa represents the world’s third-holiest site. Jews, for their part, call the area the Temple Mount, saying it 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. It annexed the entire city in 1980, in a move never recognized by the international community.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar​​​​​​​