Ben-Gvir’s visit to Masjid al-Aqsa is on agenda.

04.01.2023 – 17:46

Breaking News Turkey with agencies

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu spoke to UAE counterpart to discuss Israel’s Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir’s raid on Masjid al-Aqsa.

Ben-Gvir’s visit triggered reaction from Arab nations that condemned the Israeli minister’s “provocative move.”

Following the controversial visit, Çavuşoğlu and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan discussed Israel’s Tuesday storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

“During the phone call, the ministers reiterated their condemnation of the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque yesterday by an Israeli minister,” said the Turkish Foreign Ministry. “They underlined the importance of preserving the status and sanctity of holy places in Jerusalem and increasing coordination against such unacceptable acts.”

Emphasizing the “need to provide full protection for Al-Aqsa Mosque and halt serious and provocative violations taking place there,” the two ministers “called upon Israeli authorities to assume responsibility for reducing escalation and instability in the region.”

Çavuşoğlu also discussed the issue with his Qatari counterpart Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani in a phone call.