The recent attack by Israeli forces on the Al-Aqsa Mosque has caused shock and concern among several countries and international bodies, including the United Nations, Turkey, the United States, Canada, and the Arab League. The incident occurred during the holy month of Ramadan for Muslims and just before the start of Passover for Jews, raising fears of a wider conflict.
The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed shock and appalled by the images of Israeli security forces beating people at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. He viewed the violence and beating within the holy site as more distressing because it came at a time that should be a time for peace and nonviolence for Jews, Christians, and Muslims. The White House also expressed extreme concern and urged restraint by both Israelis and Palestinians.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the Israeli police raid, calling such acts in the mosque compound a “red line” for Turkey. He condemned the vile acts against the first qiblah of Muslims and called for the attacks to be halted as soon as possible. Turkey denounced the attacks on worshippers as unacceptable, saying they violated its sacred character. The Arab League called on the UN Security Council to intervene to halt Israeli crimes at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau criticised the Israeli government’s inflamed rhetoric and urged it to change its approach to the Palestinians. He expressed concern about the judicial reforms, violence around the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and called for a shift in Israel’s approach. Jordan, which acts as custodian of Jerusalem’s Christian and Muslim holy sites under a status quo arrangement in place since the 1967 war, condemned Israel’s flagrant storming of the compound.
Egypt’s foreign ministry called for an immediate halt to Israel’s blatant assault on Al-Aqsa worshippers. Germany urged everyone who has an influence on the situation to not pour more oil on the fire and to do everything possible to calm the situation. It was essential for Israeli and Palestinian authorities to stay in close contact, as well as Jordanian officials, who administer the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The United Arab Emirates also strongly condemned the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli police and called on Israeli authorities to halt escalation and avoid exacerbating tension and instability in the region.
The attack by Israeli forces on the Al-Aqsa Mosque has caused widespread concern and condemnation from several countries and international bodies. The incident occurred during a time that should be a time for peace and nonviolence for Jews, Christians, and Muslims, raising fears of a wider conflict. It is essential for all parties involved to exercise restraint and work towards de-escalation to restore a sense of calm in the region.