Turkey condemns Israel's attack on Palestinian worshippers at al-Aqsa Mosque

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has condemned the latest Israeli attacks on Palestinian worshippers at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied Old City of East al-Quds, saying his country will stand against any threats to the holy site’s status.

Erdogan made the remarks in a phone conversation with his Palestinian counterpart, Mahmoud Abbas, on Sunday, after Israeli forces stormed the al-Aqsa Mosque, injuring more than 150 worshipers in stepped-up violence in the fasting holy month of Ramadan.

"During our call, I told Mr Abbas that I strongly condemned Israel's intervention on worshippers at al-Aqsa Mosque and that we will stand against provocations and threats to its status or spirit," Erdogan said in a post on his Twitter account.

"Turkey always stands with Palestine," he added.

The Turkish president later said he had discussed developments at al-Aqsa with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, adding that Israel's "interventions and provocations" had "unacceptable" results.

Erdogan added that they have also discussed possible joint steps for regional peace.

Turkey has in the past launched various initiatives within the United Nations and Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) against Israeli actions towards Palestinians and its policies regarding al-Quds or its status.

The new development came as Israel has stepped up its deadly acts of aggression across the Palestinian territories since the beginning of Ramadan, as a result of which the Palestinians have put up stronger resistance.

Israeli forces storm al-Aqsa Mosque, injure scores of worshipers on 2nd Ramadan Friday

Israeli forces have injured at least 150 Palestinian worshipers in a new round of violence at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied Old City of al-Quds.

The most recent episode of violence began at dawn on Friday, when Israeli occupation forces raided the mosque through the Moroccan Gate, also known as the Mughrabi Gate, randomly firing sound bombs and rubber bullets at the worshipers.

Media reports said the Israeli troops also attacked paramedics and press crews, chased them in the courtyards of the mosque, and beat a number of them.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society reported that 152 fasting Palestinians had been transferred to hospitals, adding that most of the Palestinians' injuries were incurred from rubber bullets, stun grenades and beatings with police batons.

Mass rallies have been held across the Muslim world in solidarity with the oppressed people of Palestine.

Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is sacred to both Jews and Muslims, has often been the epicenter of Israeli aggression against Palestinians.

The compound, Islam’s third-holiest site, is located in the Old City of East al-Quds, which the Israeli regime occupied as part of the entire Palestinian territory of the West Bank during a war in 1967.

Israeli violence in al-Aqsa Mosque draws international condemnation

Mass rallies have been held across the Muslim world in solidarity with the oppressed people of Palestine after Israeli forces on Friday barged inside the al-Aqsa Mosque and brutally assaulted Palestinian worshippers.

The regime in Tel Aviv has escalated its crackdown on Palestinians since the beginning of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, arresting a number of Palestinians in occupied East al-Quds, desecrating al-Aqsa mosque, imposing new restrictions on the Palestinian people’s entry into the mosque, and ordering the demolition of Palestinian homes and agricultural facilities.

The Israeli violence, repeated on a daily basis, has led to fierce clashes between Israelis and Palestinians across the occupied territories.

The latest development also comes amid efforts by Turkey and Israel in recent weeks to normalize their long-strained ties, after the two sides expelled ambassadors in 2018.

Earlier this month, Erdogan told Israeli president Isaac Herzog that Ankara expected Israeli authorities to be sensitive over al-Aqsa during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

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