Istanbul: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed grief over the violence at Flashpoint al aqsa The mosque complex in a phone call with its Israeli counterpart on Tuesday Isaac HerzogWarning against threats to its condition.
His remarks came after Israeli-Palestinian clashes in and around the holy site over the weekend left 170 people injured, mostly Palestinian protesters at the hands of Israeli security forces.
The violence comes nearly a year after similar tensions sparked an 11-day conflict between Israel and terrorist groups in Gaza’s Palestinian enclave.
Al-Aqsa is the holiest site in Judaism and the third holiest in Islam.
A weekend of violence has escalated tensions in response to rockets fired from a Palestinian enclave, with Israel launching its first airstrikes on the Gaza Strip in months early Tuesday.
Erdogan said on his official Twitter account that he told Herzog “the fact that the Al-Aqsa Mosque was raided yesterday and the day before by fundamentalist groups after morning prayers … and the spread of tension in Gaza.” added to our misery.”
He said that “these pictures which are seen every year because of some fundamentalists, hurt the conscience and cause a proper reaction in the whole Islamic world.”
Erdogan told the Israeli president: “In this sensitive period, I would like to once again emphasize the need not to allow provocations and threats against the status and spirituality of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
The Turkish leader reiterated his call for everyone to make “the utmost effort” to preserve the spirituality of the holy site.
Following Herzog’s historic visit to Ankara in March, Israel and Turkey declared a new era in relations after more than a decade of diplomatic breakdown.
Erdogan, a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause, has in the past criticized Israel’s policies towards Palestinians.
Turkey has maintained ties with Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2007.
His remarks came after Israeli-Palestinian clashes in and around the holy site over the weekend left 170 people injured, mostly Palestinian protesters at the hands of Israeli security forces.
The violence comes nearly a year after similar tensions sparked an 11-day conflict between Israel and terrorist groups in Gaza’s Palestinian enclave.
Al-Aqsa is the holiest site in Judaism and the third holiest in Islam.
A weekend of violence has escalated tensions in response to rockets fired from a Palestinian enclave, with Israel launching its first airstrikes on the Gaza Strip in months early Tuesday.
Erdogan said on his official Twitter account that he told Herzog “the fact that the Al-Aqsa Mosque was raided yesterday and the day before by fundamentalist groups after morning prayers … and the spread of tension in Gaza.” added to our misery.”
He said that “these pictures which are seen every year because of some fundamentalists, hurt the conscience and cause a proper reaction in the whole Islamic world.”
Erdogan told the Israeli president: “In this sensitive period, I would like to once again emphasize the need not to allow provocations and threats against the status and spirituality of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
The Turkish leader reiterated his call for everyone to make “the utmost effort” to preserve the spirituality of the holy site.
Following Herzog’s historic visit to Ankara in March, Israel and Turkey declared a new era in relations after more than a decade of diplomatic breakdown.
Erdogan, a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause, has in the past criticized Israel’s policies towards Palestinians.
Turkey has maintained ties with Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2007.