ADDS REMARKS FROM PARLIAMENT SPEAKER
By Burak Dag
ANKARA (AA) – Several senior Turkish officials condemned a raid on Friday by Israeli police on the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem.
"Strongly condemning the attack this evening on al-Aqsa Mosque, our first Qibla. It is inhumane for Israel to target innocents praying during Holy Ramadan," Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Twitter, referring to the Muslim holy month.
"Will always stand by the just cause of the people of #Palestine," Cavusoglu added, wishing a speedy recovery to those injured in the Israeli raid.
Parliament Speaker Mustafa Sentop said on Twitter: "As in every Ramadan, we are witnessing days when Israel's violence and cruelty increased."
"The attack on the group of worshippers in Al-Aqsa Mosque tonight is clear state terror. Whoever sows violence and cruelty cannot reap peace and tranquility. I condemn the terror in #ALAqsa," he added.
Turkey's presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin also condemned the raid in which Israeli security forces used stun grenades to disperse worshippers inside the mosque.
"We strongly condemn the Israeli police attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque with stun grenades," Kalin said on Twitter, urging Tel Aviv to cease such attacks.
"Israeli occupation forces, which don't respect any religious values during the holy month of Ramadan, must leave Al-Aqsa mosque immediately," he added.
Communications Director Fahrettin Altun also denounced the Israeli attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Altun said on Twitter that Turkey was monitoring Israel's policy of occupation and violence against Palestinians "with concern."
"It is unacceptable for Israel that attack our religious values. Today we strongly condemn the attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque, our first Qibla, with stun grenades," he added.
Israeli police attempted to disperse worshippers inside the Haram al-Sharif area of Al-Aqsa Mosque on Friday evening, using stun grenades and gas bombs,.
The incident caused many injuries, an official from the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf (religious endowments) told Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity.
Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world's third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area the "Temple Mount," claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognized by the international community.
