Maldives condemns Israeli Minister’s entry into Al-Aqsa mosque

The Maldives has condemned the incident in which Israel’s Minister of National Security stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir led a Jewish prayer service in the courtyard of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

After Israel occupied East Jerusalem in 1967, an agreement stipulated that Jordan would administer the area while Israel would oversee security. Israel has ruled that Jews may enter the mosque grounds but are prohibited from praying there.

On Sunday, Ben-Gvir entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque with hundreds of people, accompanied by a large police presence.

In a statement, the Maldivian Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the intrusion into the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

“This provocative action by the Israel Minister constitutes a clear violation of international law, the sanctity of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the longstanding "status-quo" governing one of the holiest sites of the Islamic Ummah,” the statement said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the international community to take swift action to compel Israel to cease its illegal actions and desecration of Islamic holy sites.

The statement affirmed that the Maldives will always support the Palestinian people’s efforts to establish an independent state.

Israeli authorities, soldiers, and police have repeatedly entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque, obstructing and harassing Muslims. Such interference, particularly during Ramadan and on Fridays when large numbers of Muslims gather, is common.