UAE slams Ben Gvir’s Temple Mount visit, days after hosting Netanyahu in Abu Dhabi

The United Arab Emirates on Tuesday said it “strongly condemned” National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s visit to the flashpoint Temple Mount compound a day earlier.

Ben Gvir’s visit on Monday came a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew to Abu Dhabi to meet with UAE leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed.

The UAE Foreign Ministry “called on the Israeli government to assume full responsibility, condemn these hostile acts, and hold all those involved accountable, particularly ministers and officials within the Israeli government,” a statement read.

“The UAE affirmed that the continued attacks and incitement to hatred and violence constitute a systematic extremist campaign that not only targets the brotherly Palestinian people but also threatens social peace, and risks further escalation,” it said.

“Furthermore, the UAE emphasized the need to respect the historical and legal status quo of Al-Aqsa Mosque, ensure the protection of all holy sites, and uphold the custodial role of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in overseeing the endowments and managing the affairs of Al-Aqsa Mosque,” it continued.

Jews are officially barred from praying at the mount, which was the location of the two Jewish holy temples in ancient times and is Judaism’s holiest site. Muslims revere the mount as the Noble Sanctuary, and it is the site of the al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Israel maintains overall security at the site, while the Waqf, an Islamic body, administers religious activities.

But Ben Gvir, who oversees the Israel Police, has repeatedly declared that Jewish prayer is now allowed at the site, despite statements to the contrary from Netanyahu.

‘Consequences and repercussions’

Separately Tuesday, Iran’s foreign ministry warned of “highly dangerous consequences” to the UAE following Netanyahu’s trip on Sunday.

Labeling Netanyahu “the child-killing and war-mongering prime minister of the Zionist regime,” the Iranian foreign ministry said, “the presence of a criminal whose hands are stained with the blood of hundreds of thousands of innocent people and who is under prosecution by international courts is extremely dangerous and alarming,” according to an unofficial translation by Tehran’s embassy in India of a statement.

“Undoubtedly, given the proven hostility and animosity of the Zionist regime toward Iran and other countries of the region, as well as the regime’s repeated threats against the Islamic Republic of Iran, all countries of the region should be vigilant about the consequences and repercussions of such a presence, which threatens the collective peace and security of the region,” the ministry added.

Meanwhile, a senior Saudi official denied a reported meeting between Saudi and Israeli officials, after the Ynet news site said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had met with Middle Eastern officials, including a Saudi official, during his recent visit to the United Arab Emirates.

Ynet issued a correction following its initial report, which didn’t cite a source, saying it couldn’t confirm such a meeting was held.

The report has also been denied by Jordan, which the outlet claimed was represented at the meeting along with Morocco and other unspecified countries.

Agencies contributed to this report.