Turkish leaders have said protecting Islamic sites in the Holy Land is a sacred mission for them, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan bluntly warning any attack against the 8th-century al-Aqsa Mosque is no different than an attack on the Kaaba in the holy city of Mecca, Hurriyet Daily News reports.
“The Israeli administration has to stop this despicableness, this barbarity; what would it say if this kind of attack had been launched against synagogues? The Masjid al-Aqsa is not only a shrine for Palestinians, but is the shrine of all Muslims,” Erdoğan was quoted as saying on Nov. 7 during an official visit to the Turkmen capital, Ashgabat.
“This action, this attempt launched against the Masjid al-Aqsa can never be forgiven. Attacking the Masjid al-Aqsa is like attacking the Kabaa,” Erdoğan added.
The president had already urged the international community to take “all required steps” on the issue, while arguing that, otherwise, Israeli provocations might revive intifada movements, with various troubles spreading into different parts of the world, as tension would not remain limited to Palestine, Jerusalem or the region.
Turkey declares protecting al-Aqsa its mission
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