Germany condemns Israeli minister's raid on Temple Mount

BERLIN

Germany on Wednesday strongly condemned the storming of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem by the right-wing extremist Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

This represents a provocation in the current tense situation, deputy Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Kathrin Deschauer told the press in Berlin.

“We expect the Israeli government to stop such deliberate provocations. Especially in the current situation, such fire kindlings are extremely dangerous and further endanger security in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Israel,” she added.

Deschauer’s remarks came after some 2,250 illegal Israeli settlers as well as Ben-Gvir, his fellow Otzma Yehudit party Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf and Knesset member of the Likud party Amit Halevi stormed the complex to commemorate Tisha B'Av, an annual Jewish fasting day.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is considered the third holiest site in Islam. Jews refer to the area as the Temple Mount, believing it to be the location of two ancient Jewish temples.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. In 1980, Israel annexed the entire city, a move that has never been recognized by the international community.

The Israeli army has killed nearly 40,000 people in a deadly offensive in the Gaza Strip since last Oct. 7 following a Hamas attack despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.