Egyptian;s Foreign Ministry on Sunday condemned renewed violations against al-Aqsa Mosque by extremists who stormed the site under the protection of Israeli forces. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Ahmed Hafez, stressed that Egypt has always warned any actions that would violate the sancitiy of the al-Aqsa Mosque, which enjoys a great standing for Muslims in various parts of the world. The mosque is a sacred place of worship for Muslims, he said, and stressed that all responsibility lies with the Israeli authorities to provide protection for worshipers there. The Aqsa Mosque yard has often been the scene of Israeli-Palestinian violence. Tensions have remained high since the unofficial ceasefire, brokered by Egypt, that ended the Gaza war on May 21.
