Berlin condemns Israeli ministers' visit to Al-Aqsa Mosque

Germany on Wednesday condemned a visit by two Israeli ministers to the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in Jerusalem, known to Jews as Temple Mount, and said it expects the Israeli government to halt deliberate provocations.

"We reject unilateral steps that jeopardise the historical status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem," the foreign ministry in Berlin posted on social media platform X.

For decades, a delicate status quo has governed worship and visits to the site, permitting only Muslims to pray in its courtyards and prayer halls.

Berlin's statement came after the US rejected "any unilateral action like this that jeopardizes the status quo" in a statement on Tuesday.