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Jordan condemns Israel for closing gates of Al Aqsa Mosque

Xinhua, August 26, 2015 Adjust font size:

Jordan on Wednesday condemned Israel for closing gates of Al Aqsa Mosque, the state-run Petra news agency reported.

Jordan's Minister of State Mohammad Momani said preventing Muslim worshippers from entering the mosque and allowing Israeli settlers to storm into the yards of the mosque are totally condemned and unacceptable.

Israel, he said, should open the gates and allow the entry of Muslim worshippers and increase their numbers.

The minister added that Jordan will continue to exert its utmost efforts to protect Al Aqsa Mosque, noting that Jordan will appoint more guards at the mosque.

Jordan, which signed a peace deal with Israel in 1994, oversees Al Aqsa Mosque and other Islamic and Christian holy sites in east Jerusalem which is envisioned as the future capital of the Palestinian state.

Al Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site in Islam and the most holy site for Jews, who call it the Temple Mount and revere it as the site of their second temple. It was destroyed in 70 A.D. Endit