Saudi Arabia and Jordan were quick to condemn the latest escalation in tensions at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque as Israeli settlers continued to flock to the site Monday in violation of the status quo at the holy Muslim site.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry denounced the storming of Al-Aqsa mosque, describing it as "provocative practices by a group of extremists." In a statement on Sunday, the ministry reiterated the kingdom's support for the Palestinian people and their efforts to end the occupation and reach a "just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue."
Jordan’s Foreign Ministry also condemned in a Sunday statement the “ongoing provocative practices” at the site as an “unacceptable violation of international law and the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its sanctities.”
The Saudi condemnation came even as Israel touts the prospects of normalization with the kingdom. Riyadh has insisted that they are directly tied with resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The new Saudi ambassador to the Palestinian territories, Naif bin Bandar al-Sudairi, is heading to the West Bank for a two-day visit on Tuesday, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry announced in a statement. The ministry described the visit as “an important and historic milestone for the development of the bilateral relations between the two countries."
