CAIRO: Egypt鈥檚 Al-Azhar Al-Sharif 鈥� Sunni Islam鈥檚 oldest and foremost seat of learning 鈥� has strongly condemned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir鈥檚 statement that he would build a synagogue at Jerusalem鈥檚 flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound if he could.

Al-Aqsa compound is Islam鈥檚 third holiest site and a symbol of Palestinian national identity, but it is also Judaism鈥檚 holiest place, revered as the site of the second temple destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.

鈥淚f I could do anything I wanted, I would put an Israeli flag on the site,鈥� Ben Gvir said in an interview.

Asked several times by the journalist if he would build a synagogue at the site if it were up to him, Ben Gvir finally replied: 鈥淵es.鈥�

Al-Azhar said in a press note that these 鈥減rovocative statements are issued only by persons with an extremist mentality that does not respect religions, the sanctities of others, or international laws and conventions.鈥�

The statement continued it 鈥渞eminds the whole world that the blessed Al-Aqsa 鈥嶮osque, with its courtyards, precincts, and all its areas, has 鈥巄een and shall always be purely Islamic and a historical right 鈥巉or Muslims.鈥�

It is 鈥淚slamic in origin, and it is the first of the two 鈥嶲iblahs (direction of prayer) and the third of the two holy mosques; It will remain 鈥巃s such despite the criminal Zionist plans to Judaize the 鈥巋istorical landmarks of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the city of 鈥嶫erusalem,鈥� the statement said.

In closing, it added: 鈥淎l-Azhar calls on the governments of the Muslim 鈥巜orld to take serious and strict positions against these 鈥巌rresponsible and repeated statements by this Zionist official 鈥巃nd other extremists who have become accustomed to 鈥巗torming the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and inciting violence 鈥巃nd terrorism against innocent Palestinians.鈥�