Egypt condemns Israeli court ruling allowing Jewish prayer at Al-Aqsa courtyard

Cairo - Egypt

Egypt’s Grand Mufti Shawky Allam condemned on Friday a recent Israeli court verdict allowing Jewish prayer at the Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyard in East Jerusalem, describing it as “a violation of Islamic sanctities.”

Allam added in a strongly-worded statement that “the ruling contradicts all international conventions,” calling on the global community to enforce conventions related to the holy site.

In 2016, the UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee approved a resolution on the conservation status of Al-Aqsa, affirming that it is an Islamic site with no Jewish heritage. The decree caused fury in Israel.  

An Israeli judge ruled on Wednesday that "quiet" Jewish prayers could be performed at Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyard as long as they were silent and do not violate Israeli police instructions.

On Thursday, the Egyptian foreign ministry also denounced the Israeli verdict.

“[We] affirm the necessity of respecting the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem which conform with the international legitimacy granted by the UN,” the statement read.

The foreign ministry further expressed its deepest concern over the repercussions of the Israeli court decision and its impact on security and stability in the region, calling on Israel’s government to take no measures that put the verdict into effect.

CAiro under the regime of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has been maintaining an official stance towards the two-state solution where a Palestinian state is established on the borders of 1967 with East Jerusalem as its official capital.