Morocco summons Israeli envoy over Temple Mount clashes

(A7) Morocco on Thursday summoned Israel’s chargé d’affaires over the clashes taking place in Jerusalem’s Old City, i24NEWS reported, citing a statement from Morocco’s Foreign Ministry.

“The chargé d’affaires of Israel’s liaison office in Rabat was summoned to be informed of the condemnation of the attacks against the worshipers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the attack on the sanctity of the mosque,” the statement said.

The move comes hours after the clashes on the Temple Mount resumed on Thursday morning, with Arabs reporting that Israeli security forces entered the site and closed the worshipers in one of the mosques.

Footage from the scene showed that the forces used riot dispersal methods after the rioters attacked them with rocks and fireworks and tried to harm the police officers from within the mosque.

On Monday, Jordan’s Foreign Ministry summoned Israel’s ambassador to Amman over the clashes in Jerusalem. Shortly after, Israel’s envoy to the United Arab Emirates was summoned as well.

Morocco renewed its official relations with Israel amid a string of normalization deals between Israel and Arab countries, brokered by the Trump administration in late 2020.

In August, Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita hosted Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, in the first visit by an Israeli Foreign Minister to Morocco since 2003.

Defense Minister Benny Gantz visited Rabat this past November, where he signed a ground-breaking defense memorandum of understanding.