UN Security Council meeting on developments in Mosque Square

The UN Security Council will discuss the “Palestinian issue” tomorrow, the United Nations announced today, the day after a wave of international protest sparked by an Israeli minister’s visit to Square of the Mosques in East Jerusalem.

Confirming what diplomats have been talking about for hours, the UN formalized in a brief announcement that the 15 member states of the Security Council will meet tomorrow, Thursday, at 3:00 p.m. local time (22:00 Greek time) to discuss the “situation in the Middle East, especially the Palestinian issue».

During the daily press briefing, the spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Stephane Dujarric, repeated what his deputy had said on Tuesday: Antonio Guterres “calls on all sides to refrain from taking measures that could escalate tensions in and around Jerusalem».

Non-Muslims can enter this place at certain times

The United Nations, whose Security Council has already passed several resolutions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, confirmed on Tuesday “the importance of maintaining the status quo in the holy places”.

Non-Muslims can enter this place at certain times

Islam’s third holiest site and Judaism’s holiest site known as “Temple Mount”, the Square of Mosques is located in the Old City of Jerusalem, in the occupied and Israeli-annexed Palestinian sector.

According to a historical status quo, non-Muslims can enter this place at certain times, but they cannot pray there. But in recent years, a growing number of Jews, often nationalists, have been secretly praying there, a move denounced as a “provocation” by the Palestinians and Middle Eastern countries.

A figure of the Israeli far right and the new Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir paid a short visit on Tuesday to the Square of the Mosques, causing a wave of international condemnation, including the US, Israel’s historic ally.