US ‘deeply concerned’ by Israeli minister’s visit to Al-Aqsa

By Rabia Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US is “deeply concerned” Tuesday by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvi’s visit to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound despite warnings that it could stoke tension.

“We're deeply concerned by any unilateral actions that have the potential to exacerbate tensions precisely because we want to see the opposite happen,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said at a news conference.

“We want to see tensions reduced. We want to see tensions diminish,” he said.

“The United States stands firmly for preservation of the historic status quo with respect to the holy sites in Jerusalem,” Price told reporters in response to a question about the visit that sparked tensions in the region.

Any “unilateral actions” undercutting the historic status quo are “unacceptable,” he said.

The visit has the “potential to exacerbate tensions and to provoke violence,” he said. “We continue to be deeply concerned by that very intensifying violence in the West Bank.”​​​​​​​