BERLIN: Germany on Wednesday called for calm following clashes at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque, which sparked an exchange of rockets and air strikes between Israelis and Palestinians.
German foreign ministry spokesman, speaking on Wednesday, called on all sides to avoid further escalation and for those with influence to do everything possible to calm the situation.
The spokesman also urged Israeli and Palestinian authorities, as well as Jordanian officials who administer the Al-Aqsa mosque, to stay in close contact. Turkey’s foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, denounced the clashes as “unacceptable”, noting that they violated the mosque’s “sacred” character.
The clashes erupted when Israeli police clashed with Palestinians inside the holy site, with armed police in riot gear storming the mosque’s prayer hall before dawn.
The goal was to dislodge “law-breaking youths and masked agitators” who had barricaded themselves inside following evening prayers.
The Al-Aqsa mosque compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, is a site sacred to both Islam and Judaism in the Old City of Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem that has long been a lightning rod in Israeli-Palestinian relations.
Germany unequivocally condemned the night rocket attacks from Gaza on Israel, expressing concern over the clashes around the mosque.
Germany emphasizes restrains
The spokesman emphasized that there must be no further escalation for believers to celebrate the holidays in peace.
Meanwhile, Turkey’s foreign minister noted that normalization with Israel has begun but that their commitment cannot be at the expense of the Palestinian cause and their principles, adding that “these attacks have exceeded the limit.”
The clashes occurred when the Jewish Passover festival overlapped with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which has heightened tensions in the region.
As a result, Germany and Turkey have joined calls for calm, urging all sides to avoid further escalation and to work towards a peaceful resolution of the ongoing conflict.
