Jerusalem Governorate

Israeli police have entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, a sensitive Jerusalem holy site, two days after clashes with Palestinians.

The police cleared Palestinians out of the sprawling esplanade outside the mosque itself early Sunday, while dozens of Palestinians remained inside the building chanting "God is Greatest."

Turkey on Oct. 7 strongly criticized an Israeli court's decision in favor of Jews praying at the Al-Aqsa complex.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said the move will "further encourage fanatic circles" and "cause new tensions" at Jerusalem's holiest site.

Dozens of Israeli settlers on May 24 forced their way into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem for the second day in a row after a hiatus of three weeks, according to a Palestinian agency.

Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias called for an emergency international Middle East peace initiative while on a visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories today, and he participated immediately thereafter in a teleconference between EU foreign ministers focusing on the raging problem.

He condemned Hamas and supported Israel's right to defend itself.

Turkey's presidential spokesperson urged the international community early on May 14 to prevent the escalation of Israel's aggression against the Palestinian people. 

İbrahim Kalın said on Twitter that Israel's attacks on the Palestinian community "are against international law and basic morality" and "must come to an immediate end."

Palestinians wounded after the Israeli attack at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound have filled the halls of an east Jerusalem hospital, where several had lost an eye after being hit by rubber bullets.     

Palestinian protesters threw rocks and Israeli police fired stun grenades and rubber bullets in clashes outside the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem on May 10 as Israel marked the anniversary of its capture of parts of the city in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.

Turkey has called on Israel to allow the Palestinians to vote in the upcoming parliamentary elections in East Jerusalem after Palestine's President Mahmoud Abbas decided to postpone the elections scheduled for May 22 following Israel's rejection of their request.

Christians in the Holy Land are marking Good Friday this year amid signs the coronavirus crisis is winding down, with religious sites open to limited numbers of faithful but none of the mass pilgrimages usually seen in the Holy Week leading up to Easter.

Israel's recent evacuation, destruction and confiscation decisions against Palestinians violate international law, according to a statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry on March 19.