Saudi Arabia condemns Ben Gvir 'storming' Al-Aqsa Mosque

Saudi Arabia has condemned Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir's incursion into Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem.

Riyadh voiced its "condemnation of the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound by Israeli officials and settlers under the protection of the occupation forces, reiterating its strongest condemnation of the continued attacks on the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque," the foreign ministry said in a statement. 

Under the protection of heavily armed forces, the minister of national security took part in religious rituals alongside many others.

The raid - along with the performance of prayers in the mosque’s courtyards - violates the long-standing status quo.

This set of rules, recognised internationally and upheld by world powers, designates Al-Aqsa Mosque as an exclusively Islamic site, where only Muslims are permitted to worship.