Monitoring Desk
LONDON: UK Minister for the Middle East Lord Tariq Ahmed was delayed for more than half an hour by an Israeli security check while visiting the historical Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on Thursday.
The minister told the BBC he underwent the check at the gate, saying that the Israeli authorities accomplished whatever they required to do. The minister was on a trip to the occupied eastern part of the city during an official visit to the region.
He tweeted that it is an honor and privilege for him to spend time at the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque with the Director of the Jerusalem Waqf Department Sheikh Azzam Al Khatib.
He underscored the United Kingdom’s firm support for Jordanian Custodianship of Jerusalem’s Holy Sites and for the Status Quo.
The minister performed prayers in the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex — the 3rd holiest site in Islam — toured the mosque and met officials from the department.
Lord Tariq Ahmed said he also met Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh in Ramallah on Thursday, where the two sides discussed the UK’s commitment to the two-state solution and support for the Palestinian authority.
