AMMAN, CAIRO / Laith al-Junaidi, Amer Suleiman / Anadolu

- Jordan considered the storming a flagrant violation and desecration of the sanctity of Al-Aqsa and a barbaric and provocative act

- Egypt considered it a flagrant violation of the historical and legal status quo at the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque

Jordan and Egypt warned on Thursday of the consequences of the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and a number of Knesset members and settlers, considering it a desecration of the sanctity of Al-Aqsa and a flagrant violation of its historical and legal status quo.

This came according to statements from the two foreign ministries following the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by more than 2,500 settlers, including Ben Gvir, in the morning under heavy guard by Israeli police, in the largest storming the mosque has witnessed in months, according to an official in the Islamic Waqf Department in Jerusalem in a statement to Anadolu.

The Jordanian Foreign Ministry said that the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Ben Gvir, Knesset members, and settlers, under the protection of Israeli police, along with accompanying attacks on worshippers, provocative acts, and raising of Israeli flags, constitutes a 'flagrant violation' of the historical and legal status quo at the holy sanctuary, a 'desecration' of the sanctity of the mosque, and an 'unacceptable provocation'.

It affirmed 'the Kingdom's absolute rejection and strong condemnation of the continued rejected stormings by extremist ministers, Knesset members, and settlers, and the facilitation by the Israeli occupation police of the ongoing stormings of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.'

It considered that the Israeli police's facilitation of these stormings constitutes a violation of international law and international humanitarian law, and 'a violation of Islamic and Christian holy sites in occupied Jerusalem.'

It added that these practices aim to impose new facts on the ground at Al-Aqsa Mosque by attempting to divide it temporally and spatially, stressing that 'Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied city of Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites.'

It called on the international community to 'take a firm position that obliges Israel, as the occupying power, to stop its ongoing violations against Islamic and Christian holy sites, and all provocative practices of Israeli officials and extremists.'

It stated that 'these provocations are a continuation of the Israeli government's policy aimed at continuing the dangerous escalation in the occupied West Bank.'

It reiterated that 'the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, with its entire area of 144 dunams, is a pure place of worship for Muslims, and that the Jerusalem Waqf Department and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs, affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf, Islamic Affairs and Holy Places, is the legal authority with exclusive jurisdiction to manage all its affairs and regulate entry to it.'

For its part, Egypt condemned the storming of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque by Ben Gvir, a number of Knesset members, and thousands of settlers, under the protection of Israeli police, and the accompanying provocative practices.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry considered in a statement that this represents a flagrant violation of the historical and legal status quo at the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Egypt warned that the continuation of these violations and provocative practices would fuel tension and undermine chances of calm and stability, leading to further escalation in the occupied Palestinian territories and the region, threatening regional peace and security.

Egypt reiterated its call on the international community and the Security Council to assume their responsibilities to stop Israeli violations against Islamic and Christian holy sites in occupied Jerusalem, ensure respect for the historical and legal status quo, and adhere to the provisions of international law and relevant UN resolutions, which would contribute to restoring security and stability and preserve opportunities for achieving a just and comprehensive peace on the basis of the two-state solution.

Ben Gvir posted a video on his Telegram account from inside Al-Aqsa Mosque, in which he said: 'We are also witnessing tremendous progress on the Temple Mount (Al-Aqsa Mosque).'

Extremist Israeli right-wing groups had called for carrying out wide-scale stormings of Al-Aqsa Mosque on the occasion of the so-called 'Destruction of the Temple' anniversary.

Israeli police have allowed settlers to storm Al-Aqsa Mosque since 2003, while the Islamic Waqf Department in Jerusalem repeatedly demands a halt to these stormings, without response from Israeli authorities.

Jews annually observe, with fasting and mourning, what they call the 'commemoration of the destruction of the Temple,' claiming that the Babylonians and Romans destroyed the first and second temples in 586 BC and 70 AD, respectively.

Palestinians say that Israel is intensively working to Judaize the eastern part of the city of Jerusalem and erase its Arab and Islamic identity, while they cling to it as the capital of their future state.