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Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli attacks on Palestinians, al-Aqsa Mosque

Saudi Arabia issued a statement Friday condemning the Israeli forces for raiding the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem and attacking Palestinians who were inside praying.“This systematic escalation is a blatant attack on the sacredness of al-Aqsa Mosque and its place in the heart of the Islamic nation,” a statement from the Saudi Foreign Ministry said.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Israeli police attacked Palestinians as thousands were in the mosque for prayers during the holy month of Ramadan.Israel alleges that men carrying Palestinian and Hamas flags were in the compound with rocks and stones. Palestinian officials say over 150 Palestinians were wounded.Saudi Arabia called on the international community to hold the Israeli forces accountable for the continued attacks and violations against Palestinians, their land and their holy sites.The Foreign Ministry also said there was a need for reviving peace efforts in the Middle East.The recent uptick in violence, including multiple Palestinian attacks on Israeli civilians, has heightened fears of renewed clashes between Palestinians and Israelis.Last year, during Ramadan, similar violence broke out and sparked the biggest conflict in years between Hamas and Israel. The 11-day war was ended following intervention by mediators, including Egypt, Jordan and the US.Read more: Analysis: Biden’s quiet diplomacy may work, but Middle East will ‘follow you home’
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli attacks on Palestinians, al-Aqsa Mosque

Gulf countries condemn Israel’s storming of al-Aqsa mosque during Ramadan, prayers

The UAE, Bahrain and Egypt have condemned Israel’s storming of Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa mosque which left at least 152 Palestinians injured, state news agencies reported on Saturday.The UAE’s foreign ministry “underscored the need for self-restraint” and called for protection of the worshipers, in a statement run by the Emirates News Agency, WAM.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The ministry also stressed that the Israeli authorities should “respect the right of Palestinians to practice their religious rites and halt any practices that violate the sanctity of al-Aqsa Mosque.”The statement reported by WAM also said that the UAE emphasized the need to end “illegal Israeli practices that threaten the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.”Israeli police stormed the mosque’s compound in Jerusalem before dawn on Friday as thousands gathered for prayers during the holy month of Ramadan.Medics told the Associated Press that at least 152 Palestinians were wounded.Bahrain’s foreign ministry, in a statement shared on the official Bahrain News Agency, said that Israel’s forces are a “provocation to the feelings of Muslims.”The Bahraini ministry called on Israel to “respect the role of the sisterly Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in caring for sanctities and endowments in accordance with international law…,” in addition to condemning the situation and calling for an end to the violence.Egypt’s foreign ministry also echoed the other Gulf countries and rejected the violence, warning of the consequences of stability and security in Palestine and the wider region.A similar statement was shared by Saudi Arabia earlier, standing in solidarity with Palestine on Friday.Most of the Palestinian injuries incurred from rubber bullets, stun grenades and beatings with police batons, the Palestine Red Crescent said in a report carried by Reuters.Israeli security forces have been on high alert after a series of deadly street attacks throughout the country over the past two weeks.Confrontations at the al-Aqsa compound in Jerusalem’s walled Old City pose the risk of a relapse into a broader conflagration like last year’s Gaza war.Read more:Clashes erupt at Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa mosque, at least 152 injuredIsrael arrets Palestinian accused of ISIS-inspired knife murdersTwo Palestinians killed in Israeli West Bank raid: Palestinian health ministry
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Gulf countries condemn Israel’s storming of al-Aqsa mosque during Ramadan, prayers

Russia bans entry to British PM Boris Johnson, high-level government officials

Moscow on Saturday announced it was banning entry to Prime Minister Boris Johnson and several other top UK officials, after London imposed sanctions on Russia over its military operation in Ukraine.“This step was taken as a response to London’s unbridled information and political campaign aimed at isolating Russia internationally, creating conditions for restricting our country and strangling the domestic economy,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The ministry accused London of “unprecedented hostile actions”, in particular referring to sanctions on Russia’s senior officials.“The British leadership is deliberately aggravating the situation surrounding Ukraine, pumping the Kyiv regime with lethal weapons and coordinating similar efforts on the behalf of NATO,” the ministry said.Russia’s entry blacklist includes UK Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, former Prime Minister Theresa May and the First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon.Britain has been part of an international effort to punish Russia with asset freezes, travel bans and economic sanctions, since President Vladimir Putin moved troops into Ukraine on February 24.Read more:Russia strikes armored vehicle plant, military repair facility in Ukraine: InterfaxRussian crowd mourns Black Sea flagship after sinkingAt least 3,000 troops killed, new explosions hit cities: Ukraine President Zelenskyy
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Russia bans entry to British PM Boris Johnson, high-level government officials