US Opposes Changes to Status Quo at Temple Mount, Says State Department Spokesman

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States opposes changes to the status quo at Temple Mount, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said.
Sputnik
"The United States stands firmly for the preservation of the historic status quo with respect to holy sites in Jerusalem. We oppose any unilateral actions that undermine the historic status quo, they are unacceptable," Price said during a press briefing on Tuesday.
The statement comes hours after Israel's new national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, visited Temple Mount in Jerusalem to pray on Tuesday morning despite Palestinian warnings that his presence could spur violent reactions and intensify relations with the Arab world.
Recently, trips by right-wing Israeli lawmakers to Temple Mount, which is considered the holiest site in Judaism, have sparked confrontations as Palestinians see the visits as part of an effort to extend Israeli control over the site.
Since 1967, Temple Mount was managed by the Waqf, a Jordanian religious authority that prohibits any non-Muslim prayer at the site.
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