Abu Dhabi, June 1 -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday strongly condemned the entry of Israeli settlers into the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound under Israeli police protection and the raising of the Israeli flag within the site, considering the actions as a "provocation and an unacceptable act of extremism."

In an official statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said that it "strongly condemned and denounced the storming of the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque by settlers under the protection of Israeli police, including the raising of the Israeli flag within its courtyards, considering these actions as a provocation and an unacceptable act of extremism."

The ministry stressed the need to respect the "histori...