
Morocco has strongly condemned the intrusion of illegal Israeli settlers into East Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque during the Jewish Passover celebrations on Thursday.
In a statement issued by the Moroccan Foreign Ministry, the act was labeled as provocative, with a clear denouncement of the extremists’ actions and their violation of the mosque’s sanctity.
The kingdom reiterated its firm rejection of any measures that would alter the legal and historical status of Jerusalem and its sacred sites, including Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Furthermore, the ministry emphasized that achieving a just and comprehensive peace, as well as stability in the region, hinges on the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the internationally recognized two-state solution.
Earlier on Thursday, the Islamic Endowments Authority in Jerusalem reported that at least 1,679 illegal Israeli settlers, in organized groups, forcibly entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex to observe the Jewish Passover holiday.
The authority noted that these incursions took place under strict measures and restrictions imposed by the occupation police, hindering the entry of Muslim worshipers.
Since the commencement of the week-long Passover celebrations on Monday evening, hundreds of illegal settlers have been infiltrating the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex on a daily basis, escorted by a heavy police presence, leading to heightened tensions across various parts of Jerusalem’s Old City.
Passover, a significant holiday on the Jewish religious calendar commemorating the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt during the time of Prophet Moses, has been marred by ongoing controversies surrounding the presence of illegal settlers in the Al-Aqsa compound.
Palestinians have long accused Israel of implementing measures to “Judaize” Jerusalem, including Al-Aqsa Mosque, in an attempt to erase its Arab and Islamic identity.
Al-Aqsa Mosque holds immense religious significance as the third-holiest site in Islam, while Jews refer to the area as the Temple Mount, citing its historical connection to two ancient Jewish temples.
East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is situated, was occupied by Israel during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, and its annexation in 1980 remains unrecognized by the international community.