Gaza was subjected to a deadly Israeli bombardment between 8-to-13 May, where the Israeli forces killed 33 Palestinians, including children.
Qatar joined global condemnations of the storming of the Al-Aqsa mosque’s compound by extreme-right Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir on Sunday, saying it holds Israel “solely responsible” for any violence the move would trigger.
In a statement issued by Qatar’s foreign ministry, Doha said it strongly condemned the Israeli minister’s move, slamming it as “a flagrant violation of international law and the Hashemite Custodianship of the holy sites in occupied Jerusalem.”
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs holds the Israeli occupation authorities solely responsible for the cycle of violence that will result from these repeated incursions into the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and the systematic escalatory policy against the Palestinian people and their Islamic and Christian lands and holy sites,” the statement said.
The Gulf state stressed that such “attempts to prejudice the religious and historical status of Al-Aqsa Mosque are not only an attack on the Palestinians but also on millions of Muslims around the world.”
The statement renewed Qatar’s support for the Palestinian cause, including the establishment of an independent state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Ben-Gvir led a group of Israeli settlers as they stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound under the protection of Israeli occupation forces.
It was the second time Ben-Gvir stormed the Muslim site since becoming a cabinet minister in November last year.
The move came amid Israel’s repeated attempts to change the status quo of the holy site, which Israeli settlers have been storming since 2003 under the protection of Israeli forces.
In turn, Muslim worshippers would be banned from entering the mosque while being subjected to violent attacks from the settlers.
On Sunday, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said: “Extremist Ben-Gvir’s incursion at an early hour, like thieves, into the Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyards will not change the reality and will not impose Israeli sovereignty over it.”
“Attempts by Itamar Ben Gvir and his likes of extremists to change the status quo in Al-Aqsa Mosque are condemned and rejected and will fail. Our Palestinian people will be on the lookout for them,” Abu Rudeineh said, as quoted by Palestinian news agency Wafa.
The latest incident brought back similar scenes from 2000, when former Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, stormed the Muslim site in a move that sparked the second Intifada, or Palestinian uprising.
Under Sharon, Israel killed at least 4,973 Palestinians between 2000 and 2005.
This was also the time when the whole world watched the cold-blooded killing of 12-year-old Palestinian Muhammad Al Durrah by the Zionist state.
The disturbing image of Durrah shielding behind his father during his last moments has been engraved in the memories of people worldwide, including generations of Palestinians.
Qatar’s support for Gaza
Meanwhile, Gaza was subjected to a deadly Israeli bombardment between 8-to-13 May, where the IOF killed 33 Palestinians, including children.
The five-day brutal aggression ended following intensive discussions between Qatar, Egypt and the United Nations.
Also on Sunday, Qatar renewed its support for Palestinians living under siege in Gaza.
This came during a meeting between the Chairman of Qatar’s Gaza Reconstruction Committee Mohammed Al Emadi and the Director of UNRWA Affairs in Gaza Strip Thomas White in the Palestinian city.
According to Qatar’s foreign ministry, Al Emadi and White discussed the humanitarian situation in Palestinian territories while reviewing the Gulf state’s efforts “to achieve calm in the region and attempts to ease the current wave of tension.”
“White appreciated the efforts of the State of Qatar and its continuous support for UNRWA[…]stressing the importance of continuous communication and coordination for the continuation of projects to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people living in very difficult conditions,” the statement said.
