Israeli forces organised a barbaric incursion into the holy Al Aqsa Mosque on Friday, inviting widespread condemnation from the Muslim world.

Qatar reacted strongly to the incursion, deploring and condemning it as a deliberate attempt to choose the holiest of times and places to provoke the feelings of 1.5bn Muslims around the globe.

 

Visuals from Al Aqsa Mosque compound show Israeli forces using tear gas and stun grenades on people at the Mosque pic.twitter.com/SA6ljIg6NT

— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) July 27, 2018

 

Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) called all Arab and Islamic countries and the international community to stand united to stop the Israeli arrogance, tampering of innocent lives, violating basic human right to freedom of worship and provoking the feelings of all Muslims in the world, reported Gulf Times.

 

Israeli terrorists, forces, whatever, fire upon Palestinian worshippers at al Aqsa mosque during Friday prayers. pic.twitter.com/vE8BjzXQ7A

— CJ Werleman (@cjwerleman) July 27, 2018

 

“This violation comes shortly after passing the racist law, which Israel called the ‘Nation State Law,’ to emphasise the exclusionary and racist nature of this sinful occupation, that has a long history of decades of encroachment on both Islamic and Christian holy sites,” the statement from MOFA added.

Yesterday, Israeli police had closed Al Aqsa Mosque compound’s gates for several hours after clashes with Palestinian worshippers erupted following midday prayers, reported The Peninsula.

The Waqf, the religious authority that governs the site, had published videos showing police firing tear gas at Palestinians inside the mosque compound.

 

#Palestine || #Video || Israeli occupation special forces are trying to storm Al Qibli mosque at Al Aqsa . pic.twitter.com/RcvQpfNOHZ

— Aya Isleem #Gaza (@AyaIsleemEn) July 27, 2018

 

There was no immediate word of any violence inside the mosque. Older worshippers were let go after being searched, but aeround 20 young men were detained by police.

Israeli police put the number of arrested people at 24, and claimed four of their officers were injured in the melee. Jordan, which is recognised as the custodian of religious sites in disputed Jerusalem, criticised the Israeli measures.

Just a week back, Qatar’s Advisory Council Speaker HE Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud had promised Palestine its full support during the 28th extraordinary session of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union in Cairo, Egypt.