UN warns Israeli raid led by minister on Al Aqsa Mosque 'very dangerous' for status quo

The UN said Thursday that a raid by an Israeli minister, accompanied by an extremist group, on Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem was "very dangerous" for the status quo of Jerusalem's holy sites.

"There is a status quo regarding the holy sites of Judaism, Christianity, and, of course, Islam in Jerusalem. It is incumbent that that status quo be respected," spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said during a news conference when asked about the raid.

"It is incumbent on the Israeli authorities to ensure that it is respected, and that the faithful of all religions are able to interact with those sites, their own sites, in a free manner," he said, stressing that "these sorts of activities that we saw today are very dangerous for that status quo."

Along with Israel's extremist National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, around 1,300 Israeli occupiers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound Thursday, marking the Jewish holiday of Tisha B'Av, commemorating what they call the "destruction of the temple," according to the Jerusalem Governorate.