Egypt strongly condemns Israeli National Security minister’s storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque

CAIRO – 14 May 2026: Egypt strongly condemned the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir under the protection of Israeli occupation forces.

Egypt stated that Ben-Gvir’s raising of the Israeli flag within the mosque’s courtyards was a provocative act that offends the feelings of Muslims worldwide and constitutes a blatant violation of the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its holy sites.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed Egypt’s complete rejection of the continued and repeated Israeli violations against Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The statement warned of the dangers posed by such provocative actions, saying they fuel anger and tension and contribute to growing instability and unrest in the occupied Palestinian territories and across the region, particularly amid the dangerous escalation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Egypt stressed that East Jerusalem is an integral part of the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967 and reaffirmed the need to respect the existing historical and legal status quo governing the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.

It also emphasized that Al-Aqsa Mosque is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims, under the historical Hashemite custodianship of the holy sites in Jerusalem.

Egypt further reiterated its warning about the consequences of continued escalating Israeli policies, including repeated incursions into holy sites, settlement expansion, violence against Palestinian civilians, and the enactment of a law authorizing the execution of Palestinian prisoners.

The statement described these actions as flagrant violations of international law and international legitimacy resolutions, most notably UN Security Council Resolution 2334 and the relevant advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice.