The United Arab Emirates has strongly condemned the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque in the city of Jerusalem by Israeli police, attacks on Palestinian worshipers and their detention, the UAE Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.
"The ministry called on the Israeli authorities to halt the escalation and refrain from taking steps to escalate tensions and destabilize the region, stressing the UAE's rejection of all practices that violate international resolutions and threaten further escalation," the ministry said in a statement, as quoted by Emirates News Agency (WAM).
The UAE authorities noted the country's "firm position on the need to ensure the safety of Al-Aqsa Mosque and to stop serious and provocative violations inside." At the same time, the ministry said that worshipers "should not barricade themselves or use weapons or explosives inside places of worship."
Saudi Arabia also condemned Israeli forces' actions at the mosque, adding that it "is following with great concern the Israeli occupation forces' storming of the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque, assaulting worshipers, and arresting a number of Palestinian citizens," the kingdom's Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.
"The Kingdom, while condemning this blatant storming, expresses its categorical rejection of these practices that undermine peace efforts and violate international principles and norms regarding respect for religions sanctities, reaffirming its firm position in support of all efforts aimed at ending the occupation and reaching a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian cause," the ministry said in a statement on Twitter.
On Tuesday evening, the Israeli forces stormed the mosque prayer hall and attacked the Palestinians, using stun grenades, gas, rubber bullets, batons and stocks of rifles, Palestinian media reported. The Israeli police said on Wednesday they had arrested over 350 people, who "violently barricaded" themselves inside the mosque.
Israeli storm troopers attacking Palestinian worshippers inside al Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan prayers, today. pic.twitter.com/ZZfel0HkVn
— CJ Werleman (@cjwerleman) April 4, 2023
Relations between Palestine and Israel have been adversarial since the latter's founding in 1948. Palestinians seek diplomatic recognition of their independent state on the territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which is partially occupied by Israel, and the Gaza Strip. The Israeli government refuses to recognize Palestine as an independent political and diplomatic entity and builds settlements in the occupied areas despite objections from the United Nations. Violence has escalated in recent months in the West Bank amid near-daily Israeli arrest raids in Palestinian-controlled areas.
In March, Palestine and Israel agreed to establish a mechanism to curb violence and counter inflammatory statements and actions during a security meeting in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh.
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