Amman, May 22 (IANS):  Jordanian Foreign Ministry has condemned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's "incursion" into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Ben-Gvir's visit to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, which was made under the protection of Israeli forces, is a provocative step and a grave violation that leads to escalation, the Ministry's spokesperson Sinan Al-Majali said on Sunday in a statement.

The visit breaches international law and the historical and legal status quo of Jerusalem and its holy sites, he added, demanding Israel immediately cease all violations against the Al-Aqsa Mosque and respect its sanctity, Xinhua news agency reported.

Al-Majali also stressed the need for Israel to stop all measures aimed at changing the existing historical and legal status quo of Jerusalem and its holy sites and to respect the authority of the Jerusalem Waqf, a Jordanian body in charge of the compound since 1948.