Taiwanese Muslim diplomat says Israel forced him to recite Quran to 'prove' his faith during Al-Aqsa visit

A Muslim Taiwanese diplomat has said he was forced to recite an excerpt of the Quran by Israeli forces in order to prove his faith, reported Arabi 21.

Ismail Mae, the head of Taiwan's diplomatic mission in Jordan, told local station Radio Al-Balad that the incident occurred when he was visiting Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem.

Mae said Israeli soldiers stopped him at the entrance gates of the mosque, considered Islam's third holiest site, because they didn't believe he was Muslim.

The soldiers requested that he recite Surat Al-Fatiha, the opening chapter of the Quran, in a way to "prove his faith".

He said that the soldiers were surprised but not satisfied at his recitation, and went on to interrogate him further.

The soldiers then asked him other questions about the Quran which Mae said he answered accordingly.

He was then permitted to enter the mosque.

The diplomat, who is fluent in Arabic, went on to recite another chapter from the Quran during the radio broadcast and said that he has memorised the Muslim holy book in its entirety.

Since Jerusalem became entirely occupied by Israel in 1967, the complex containing the Al-Aqsa Mosque has repeatedly been targeted by Israeli settlers, police and soldiers.

Abuses against Palestinian worshippers have intensified over the past months.

Taiwan is home to around 250,000 Muslims, most of whom are migrant workers from Indonesia and Malaysia.